Pillar of Strength
by 1234BlueLagoon
Summary: Leonardo has an unusual problem and Raphael is in charge. Can the two of them keep their family from falling apart? Rated T for death.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

When Raphael woke up, the first thing he did was grab his sais out of his belt.

Something was wrong. He could feel it in the air. There was something off.

Eh. He didn't need to worry about that right now. He was home in the Lair, not topside. And if there was a problem here in the Lair, Leo could handle it. Leo liked these kinds of things, in fact he practically lived for them. In the meantime, it was time for breakfast.

Putting the sais back in his belt, Raph yawned and jumped out of the hammock. He passed Donnie's room and Mikey's room-heh, Mikey was snoring again-and made his way downstairs. So the Lair was a little quiet, big deal. Any day where he woke up before _Mikey_ was a good day.

But why was it so quiet? It wasn't _that_ late, but everyone was still asleep.

Apparently not everyone, though. Donnie and Leo were both sitting at the kitchen table. Donnie had poured himself a bowl of cereal, but he wasn't eating any of it. And Leo-well, he was just sitting there looking at his hands on the table. And for some reason he was missing his swords.

"Mornin'," Raph said, grabbing the milk out of the fridge, "Would ya know it? Mikey slept in."

"Let him sleep," Donnie said, staring at his bowl, "He could use it."

"Did I miss somethin'?" Raph asked. Since when would Donnie advise leaving Mikey in bed? As far back as he could remember they all always woke up early for morning training.

He looked at Donnie, but Donnie was still looking at his cereal. He looked at Leo, but Leo was still looking down at his hands. He didn't see the glance Raph gave him. Neither of them answered him, so he asked again.

"No, seriously. Did I miss out on a party or what?" Raph continued.

"Raph," Donnie said, opening his mouth to say more and then-"Nevermind. It's early, and you haven't woken up yet."

"So?"

"So you don't remember yet. And I don't want to have to tell you again," Donnie said, getting up from the table. "I'm going back to bed."

This was unheard of. It was downright scary.

" _WHAT?_ " Raphael asked, "Donnie, what would Splinter say? Don't we got training-"

"Under normal circumstances yes, we _would_ have training," Donnie snapped, grabbing his untouched and very soggy cereal bowl off the table, "But I think today Sensei understands."

"Donnie," Raph began.

"Just leave me alone for a while Raphie," Donnie said, placing his bowl in the sink without bothering to clean it of any cereal or milk.

What the heck was going on? Donnie going back to bed, Mikey sleeping in? And with Leo sitting right there, apparently okay with all this?

"Donnie," Raph said, "What's wrong with you?"

"It is alright Raphael," Master Splinter said, walking into the kitchen, "Nothing is wrong with Donatello. But there will be no training today."

"Sensei, I don't understand," Raph said.

"You will, my son," he sighed, "All too soon, you will remember."

"But Masta Splinta, what is going on here?"

"We each grieve in our own ways, Raphael," Master Splinter announced, the finality of the words piercing the otherwise still Liar.

"What happened?" Raph asked. It wasn't really a question, it was a statement. "Did April...or Casey..."

"They're fine Raph," Donnie said sadly, "Now like I said, I'm going back to bed." He left the room.

"Masta Splinta-"

"My son," Splinter said, touching Raphael's shoulder, "I can see that you are confused, but I will allow you to remember on your own. This is something that you must do for yourself. Turn your thoughts to last night. Then, if you need me, I will be in my room."

And just like that, Master Splinter left Raph and Leo alone in the kitchen. Raph was more than a little startled by what Splinter said, but with Leo there he wasn't about to show how he felt.

"Alright," Raph said, gathering his thoughts even as he turned to grab his favorite brand of cereal from the cupboard, "So. What happened last night?"

Leo didn't answer him. And for whatever reason, he couldn't remember. Every night seemed the same nowadays. But clearly something very, very bad had happened last night.

"ARGH!" Raph said, slamming the cereal box onto the counter, "Why won't anyone TELL me what the shell happened?"

The cereal spilled out from the box, spilling little pieces of cereal all over the kitchen. Grumbling, Raph swept them off the counter and onto the floor with his arm. Then he surveyed the amount of cereal on the floor.

"This stinks," he said.

Leo still hadn't moved from the seat he was sitting in at the table, but he had moved his hands a little. What was he doing, counting his fingers or something? He didn't even offer to help him clean up this mess. Raph glared at Leo for two seconds before heading for the broom. It took a few seconds for him to sweep, but soon the kitchen floor was clean again.

"So much for cereal," Raph said as he put the broom away, "I guess I wasn't in the mood for it anyways."

He looked at Leo, then at the door which Splinter and Donnie had left. Beyond that door and up a ways was Mikey's room, where the orange masked turtle was still asleep.

"Bacon and eggs it is." Raph said, reaching for the drawer that held the pans.

Leo sighed, and bent his arms up from the table to support his head. Raph rolled his eyes, but started raiding the fridge. He tried to remember what had happened last night.

"Let's see," he said outloud as he got the eggs into the pan, "I know there was a fight. There's _always_ a fight. But what happened?"

He got the bacon into the pan now. More bacon than was necessary. From what Splinter said it sounded like someone was hurt last night. That, or some plan had blown up in their faces. Whatever it was, it had to be huge. So why couldn't he remember it?

Leo didn't say a word as Raph cooked, although he did sigh a little every now and then. Raphael was started to get annoyed that he couldn't remember what had happened. Leo was right there, so why wouldn't he tell him? Why wouldn't _anyone_ tell him?

He fisted his hand. It took all he had to stop himself from picking another fight with Leo. That didn't feel right, what with all that was going on in the Lair, whatever it was. Still, it was annoying. Leo had the answers, as usual. So there had to be some reason he wasn't saying anything.

Then Raphael realized. Leo was upset. Of _course_ he was upset. He's the leader. Something must have gone wrong, and now Mr. High and Mighty was blaming himself. And apparently also starving himself. He'd been sitting at the table with Donatello before Raph even entered the kitchen, but somehow Raphael knew that Leo hadn't had breakfast yet.

Raphael might be extremely annoyed at Leo right now, but he wasn't going to let his brother go hungry just because he felt guilty. So he piled eggs and bacon on a big plate and set it aside for his brother before making his own plate.

"Whatcha makin', Raphie?"

Raphael turned towards the kitchen doorway. The orange masked turtle was standing there, chasing sleep away from his eyes with the back of his fist.

Apparently Raph woke up Mikey for a change. With the power of bacon, most likely.

"Food," Raph said, gesturing with his head towards the stovetop, "Want some?"

"Not really, but I guess I should," Mikey said.

Raphael stopped in the middle of giving Mikey a heaping tall helping of bacon. Did he just...

"Did you just turn down _food_?" Raph asked, turning to face his brother.

"I'm not that hungry after last night," Mikey said, sitting down in the chair Donnie had been sitting in earlier.

Raph steeled his eyes. "Mikey." He said, "What exactly happened last night?"

His younger brother looked at him with surprise. "You don't remember?"

"No!" Raph said, slamming his fist on the counter, "And Splinter and Donnie won't tell me."

"It's a lot to take in," Mikey said, staring straight ahead of him. He didn't appear to be actually looking at anything though, much less Leo who was right across from him.

"So what happened?" Raphael asked, handing Mikey his plate of food.

"Please don't make me answer that Raphie," Mikey said, putting the plate on the table in front of him.

"Why not?" Raph asked.

Mikey sighed, and grabbed the plate back off the table.

"I-I think I'm going to eat this in my room. Thanks for the food, Raph."

And just like that, Mikey was gone too. But Raph didn't miss that he left crying.

"Mikey," he started to say, but then he looked at Leo. Leo was still just sitting at the table. If Mikey needed anyone to comfort him, it would be Leo, right? And since Leo was still here in the kitchen, that meant he figured that Mikey needed some alone time. And if Leo decided to leave Mikey alone, then Raph decided that he should too.

Speaking of Leo, though, he _still_ hadn't gotten up to get anything to eat. With a huff, Raph grabbed Leo's food off of the counter.

"Here ya go," Raph said, placing Leo's food in front of him, "Dig in."

That finally knocked Leo out of his funk. Instead of looking down at his hands, he looked up to Raphael in surprise.

"Raph," he said, the name coming out as if he hadn't noticed his brother was there.

"What?" Raph said, "Ya thought you could sit here all day without eatin'?"

"Raphael," Leo said seriously, "How long have-"

"Jeez Fearless, I've been here for a while," Raph said, "So, how badly did we mess up on last night's mission that ya didn't even notice I was here? Or are you not going to tell me what happened either?"

Then, to Raph's surprise, Leo broke out into a big grin. "Raphael," he said, "It's-it's so _good_ to see you."

"Good to see you too, I guess," Raph said, and Leo's eyes lit up, "Now will you stop avoiding the question and just tell me what happened?"

Leo's happiness disappeared, and he stared at the plate in front of him again. "It's just shock, I guess," he said, "Everyone is in shock. You too. That, or you haven't woken up all the way yet."

"What?"

"That's why you can't remember yet," Leo said, looking up at him again, "Or maybe it's that you don't _want_ to remember."

"So, what happened?" Raphael asked, putting his food on the table and sitting down across from Leo.

"Don't you remember how it started, Raphie?" Leo said, the more childish nickname slipping out of his mouth as if it came from him every day, "We went to April's building. The Foot showed up and there was a fight. Someone got a hold of April and was using her as a hostage..."

Raph started. He _did_ remember that.

"Yeah, but you saved her," he said, "You got her outta there while Casey and I-"

"And you did great," Leo said, smiling at him, "I couldn't have asked for better cover. We got her to safety, Raph. She's going to live."

"So," Raph said, eating some scrambled eggs, "What's so bad about last night then? What's got Splinter and Donnie and Mikey all uptight?"

Leo's next words didn't make any sense. "They're upset because I died, Raphael."


	2. Chapter 2

_Second chapter, coming right up!_

CHAPTER TWO

Raphael stared at Leonardo. "Come again?" He asked.

"I died," Leo said calmly, as if he was talking about a normal, everyday occurrence.

"Leo, quit it." Raph said, even as a quiet cold was started to inch through his chest, "What _really_ happened last night?"

"Raph, I'm so sorry," Leo said, staring at the food in front of him again.

"Tell me what's going on!" Raphael said, slamming his fist on the table.

"You were there," Leo said, "But there was nothing you could have done. You did the best you could. Mikey and Donnie-they were too far away."

"Leo," Raph said threateningly.

"It's not your fault," Leo said, looking back at Raph again, "Please understand that."

"Shell, Leo!" Raph said, "Stop making things up and just _tell me what happened!"_

Raphael's angry fist went straight towards Leo. But instead of blocking, Leo didn't move. He didn't even blink.

And Raph's hand _went straight through his head_.

"What the _shell_?" Raph asked, jumping backwards, "Leo, did you see-"

"I know Raph," Leo sighed, " _Now_ do you remember last night?"

"Leo." Raph said, "What just happened?"

"You're the only one who can see me or hear me," Leo said, "I don't know why. But I'm glad you can."

"Leo." Raph said, "My hand just went right through your head. And you're actin'...I don't think you felt it."

"No," Leo said, his shoulders slumping, "I didn't."

"I'm getting Master Splinter," Raphael said, backing away towards the door, "He'll know what ta do."

"Raph," Leo said, looking at him in the eye, "Do you remember now?"

Yes. Yes, he did remember. That cold feeling was creeping all over him now. April, Casey and Raph had been closest to Leo. He had seen it happen. He didn't want to...he didn't want to remember that.

"You _do_ remember," Leo observed, "Raph, it wasn't your fault."

"I'm getting Master Splinter," Raph said, and he turned and ran out the door.

The tv wasn't on in the main room. Donnie's lab was closed and the light underneath it was off. The entire Lair was much, much too quiet. But Raphael wasn't concentrating on that. He needed to get to Splinter.

"Masta!" He called out as he threw himself into Splinter's room, "Masta Splinter, it's...Leo, he's...Splinta, he's in the...but he isn't..."

"Hush now Raphael," Splinter said, having already risen from his seat on the floor, "Come here, my son."

Raph practically jumped towards Splinter even as his Master came forward to embrace him.

"Let it all out, Raphael," Splinter said, gently rubbing Raphael's shell, "There is no shame in crying, my son."

"But Master, Leo...I saw him," Raphael said, "He was in the kitchen, Sensei. How could he be in th'kitchen? I saw it happen last night...I saw him..."

"It was only a waking dream, Raphael," Splinter said, "You and your brothers have been through much in the past few hours. Perhaps it is time for you to follow Donatello and Michelangelo's lead and go back to sleep as well."

"Sensei..."

It wasn't Raph who spoke. He jerked his head up from Master Splinter's embrace to see who did. It was Leo, kneeling just inside the doorway to Splinter's room. Tears were glistening on the edge of his mask.

"Raphael? What is it, my son?" Splinter asked, turning to see what was the matter.

"Masta Splinta," Raphael asked, still looking at Leo, "Do you...do you see Leo over there?"

Leo looked up hopefully.

Splinter sighed. "It is another waking dream, my son." He said, "Leonardo is at rest."

"But he's right there," Raphael whispered, as if Leo couldn't hear him if he just whispered.

Splinter sighed. "We all grieve in different ways," he repeated, "These visions _will_ pass away, my son."

"I'm not a vision," Leo responded, "Splinter, please. I'm right here."

Raphael shivered.

"Sensei, I...I gotta go," he said, getting up, "I'm...I'm gonna hit the punch bag for a while."

"Very well, my son," Master Splinter said, nodding his head, "I will be here if you or any of your brothers need me."

" _I_ need you," Leo whispered.

Raphael closed his eyes and stepped past Leo, then practically ran towards the dojo.

"It's jus' a dream," he said to himself as he rushed at the punching bag and got his first throw in, "It's just a nightmare I can't wake up from."

"Tell me about it."

Raphael turned his head towards Leo. He fisted his hands tightly, but there was no way he would get any closer to Leo than he had to.

"Don't you have someplace better ta be?" He snapped.

"Master Splinter can't even feel my presence," Leo said sadly, "I needed to speak with someone who knows I'm here."

"Yeah well, ya ain't even real," Raphael said, punching the bag will all his might, "I made you up, didn't I? So why don't you just go away already?"

"Because I _am_ real," Leo said, coming up behind him, "Listen Raph, I don't know how it happened, but I'm no figment of your imagination. You're punching wrong."

Raphael stopped the bag and glared at his brother.

"'Course I am," he said, "I _wanna_ wear myself out. It ain't like it matters taday, anyway."

"Muscle memory, Raph, remember?" Leo said, raising an eye at him.

Raphael muttered, but started punching the right way.

"Why is it *punch* that ya always *punch* tell me how to do things?" Raphael asked, "Even when you ain't _real_?" *punch*

"It's part of my job," Leo said, "And I _am_ real."

"Yeah? Well, whatever," Raph said, roundhouse kicking the bag before stopping. "Look Leo, if ya got somethin' ta say, then say it. Otherwise, stop bothering me and go disappear or somethin'."

"Geez Raph," Leo said, "Look. With me gone, that makes you the leader, doesn't it?"

Raphael was silent. He had forgotten about that.

"And there is _no way_ I'm going to abandon this family," Leo continued. "So since you are the one person who can see and talk to me, I can help you just as much as you can help me."

"Huh?"

"Raphael," Leo said slowly, "I'm going to help you take care of this family."

"Leo," Raphael said just as slowly, "You ain't real."

"Well then," Leo smiled, "If that's true, you'd have nothing to worry about."

"I ain't gonna listen ta you," Raph said, turning back to the bag.

"Don't you want to help everyone get through this?" Leo asked.

"Well, yeah," Raph said, "But I ain't gonna go talkin' to someone who ain't there. That's a sure sign I've got a problem, Leo."

"But you can _help_ them," Leo said, "Look. I'll tell you what kinds of things to say to Don, Mikey and Master Splinter. I'll help you come up with plans and strategies. I'll-I don't know, I'll do reconnaissance for you. Just let me help you help them, alright?"

"But everything you say," Raph said, "It's all made up. It's just me making up what Leo would say. 'Cause you ain't real."

"If it's your ideas, Raph," Leo said, "What's wrong with following them?"

He thought for a moment, fingering one of his sais.

"Alright," he said, throwing the sai into a target on the wall, "Might as well get this over with. What d'ya want me ta do first?"

"Go see Mikey," Leo said without hesitation.

"Huh? Why Mikey?" Raphael asked, taking his sai from the target.

"He's not doing so well," Leo said, looking...sad? Embarrassed?

"Well gee, I never woulda thought," Raph said.

"It's not just about last night," Leo said, "Yesterday I promised to play videogames with him when we got back."

"What? But you _never_ play videogames." Raphael said. What kind of trick was this? Shouldn't his made-up Leo be a little more...well, Leo-like?

"What can I say? He wore me down. He's _Mikey._ " Leo said, "Just...please go talk to him."

Raphael kicked the punching bag one last time.

"Fine," he agreed, walking out of the dojo, "But I ain't promising it'll make anything better."

In fact, it'd probably make things worse. But it _was_ a Leo-like thing to do to go comfort Mikey. So he might as well start trying to pull the family back together.

Raph slowly walked up the stairs, feeling Leo come up behind him. He walked over to Mikey's room, took a deep breath, raised his hand to knock-and then thought better of it and just walked right on in.

"Mikey?" He asked.

His little brother was sitting on the bed, knees pulled up to his chest. In front of him was the now-cold breakfast plate he had taken up. It looked like he had nibbled at it a little, but he wasn't eating any of it now.

"Raphie," Mikey said, watching Raph enter the room, "Whatcha doin' here?"

"Checkin' up on ya," Raphael said, moving the plate to Mikey's dresser and sitting on the empty part of Mikey's bed.

"I'm fine," Mikey sniffed.

" _That_ don't sound fine," Raph said, "Splinta told me it was ok ta cry, ya know."

"I know," Mikey said, "It's just...Raph, I can't believe he's _gone_."

"It's okay Mikey," Leo said, leaning against the open doorway.

"Look Mikey," Raph said, suddenly changing his tone. It didn't feel right to get all touchy-feely with his brother while Leo was watching. "I can't believe it either. But Leo-he doesn't want to see you moping around, right?"

"No," Mikey said, "He'd hate that, wouldn't he?"

"Yeah," Raph said. Oh boy. He was in trouble now. What else could he say? He'd said all he could think of. Shell. This is why _Leo_ usually did all the comforting.

"Tell him to do something to get his mind off things," Leo offered.

"Um, why don't ya keep busy somehow?" Raph asked Mikey.

"I don't feel like playing," Mikey said.

"Then listen to music or read a book." Leo said.

"What he said." Raph said.

"Huh?" Mikey asked.

Oh shell. Raph felt himself turning a little red. He forgot that Mikey couldn't hear Leo.

"Um, read a book or listen ta music," Raphael said, "Um, Leo said ta do that, remember?"

"Yeah," Mikey said, although it was obvious that he _didn't_ remember.

"Ya know what?" Raph asked, "You and me. Videogame. I'll even let you pick which one."

"Not today Raphie," Mikey said, "I'm staying away from all that today. For Leo."

"Don't do that, even for me," Leo said, "You can't sit around in this room all day."

"Mikey," Raph said, "Do ya think Leo'd want you here all day?"

"I'll get back out tomorrow, Raphael, I promise," Mikey said, "It's just...I kind of need to be alone today."

"Alright, fair enough," Raph said, giving up the fight, "But we are gonna do that videogame thing together, right?"

Mikey shivered. "Raphie," he said, "I think I'm going to give that up for good."

"What? Why?" Raph asked.

"'Cause...'cause Leo..." Mikey's shivering turned into sobbing, and he collapsed onto Raph's shoulder. "Leo was going to...he promised to...Raph, he was going to play the Justice Force videogame with me yesterday...after we got home..."


	3. Chapter 3

_Whoa, thank you guys for the reviews, favs and follows! I forgot to mention it earlier, but as an author I really love constructive criticism. So don't be afraid to let me know what you think, and_ _please don't be afraid to point out any errors or inconsistencies. Thank you!_

CHAPTER THREE

Raphael was not in his comfort zone right now. Mikey was sobbing into his shoulder. Leo was sitting on the other side of Mikey, telling him things to calm him down. Probably forgetting that, unlike Raph, Mikey couldn't hear him speak.

Mikey had just mentioned Leo promising to play a video game. Imaginary Leo had told him the same thing earlier. That meant that Leo...This Leo in front of him...he was not imaginary.

He came to this conclusion just as Leo stopped trying to talk to Mikey.

"It's alright Raph," Leo said, turning to speak to Raphael, "Let him...let him cry it out. I don't think he's cried yet. It'll do him some good, won't it?"

"You're real," Raph said to Leo.

"Wha-wha-what?" Mikey asked, looking up at Raphael with red eyes.

"Nothin'," Raphael said, pushing his brother's head down again, "Mikey, it's okay."

"No, it's n-n-n-n-not!" Mikey said, and he cried even louder.

"Yes, I _am_ real," Leo said, "I tried telling you earlier."

Raphael didn't say anything. He didn't want Mikey to hear him speaking to Leo again. The blue masked sighed, and moved from his spot next to Mikey to stand in front of Raph.

"Raph," Leo said, "I know this is weird, shell, it's weird for me too. But I'm not going to hurt you. I don't even think I can. I _do_ want to help."

Raphael raised an eye at him and then gestured with his head toward the still-crying Mikey. It clearly meant, _can you help me out with this then?_

Leo chuckled. "Like I said, let him cry it out." He said.

"Raphie?" Mikey asked.

"Yeah?" Raph said.

"Can you...can you take me to see Splinter?"

Splinter. Who was just downstairs. Mikey _could_ just walk there himself. But he wanted Raph to walk down there with him.

"Yeah. Sure I will," Raph said, standing up and pulling Mikey up with him, "Come on. Let's get out of here."

"Do you...do you think Splinter'll _mind_ if I go to him?" Mikey asked, sniffling, "I mean, he's got to be upset himself, and-"

"It's fine, Mikey." Raphael said.

Raph didn't let go of Mikey until he was safely in Splinter's arms. And then, while his brother still sobbed, Raphael went to the kitchen. He was shivering as he grabbed a soda. Having Mikey cry on him like that...and realizing that Leo was some sort of ghost...

"Well done," Leo said, entering the kitchen.

"Yeah," Raph said, "But that wasn't fun."

"It never is," Leo agreed, "But it was a good thing that Mikey asked to see Splinter. They can both grieve together now."

"Yeah," Raphael said. "So you're really you. Not my imagination."

"That's right," Leo said.

"So what gives? How are you, you know, here?"

"I don't know Raph," Leo said, "But I promised to help you guys out. I'm not leaving you."

"I was afraid o' that," Raphael said, putting down his soda. "Listen bro, I'm not so sure I can do this."

"Do what?" Leo asked.

"The whole you thing," Raph said, "I can't pretend ta be you."

"You don't have to," Leo said, "Stay the same cranky old Raph. I'll just give you a few pointers every now and then."

"Yeah? Well, maybe I don't want ta be leader," Raph said.

"Raphael," Leo said seriously, "Don't look now, but you're the only one who can pull our family back together. Look at what you just did with Mikey."

"Leo, anyone coulda done that," Raph said.

"But no one did." Leo said, "No one except you even tried. Raph, Splinter's upset. Really, really upset. He's just hiding it better than Donnie and Mikey. They're _all_ upset, Raphael. Please."

Raph looked at his brother.

"Fine," he said, and Leo's eyes lit up, "But I ain't gonna argue with you when there's other people around. I don't wanna look like a nutcase."

"Raphael," Leo said, " _Thank you_."

To Raph's surprise, Leo suddenly jumped at him in a hug. But he _went right through him._

"Whoa!" Raph said, stepping back, "What the shell was _that_?"

"Shell," Leo said, stretching his arm out towards Raph. It went right through his chest, and Raph quickly pulled himself back even though he felt nothing.

"That felt...strange," Leo said, staring at his fingers, "Different from when you went through me earlier."

"Leo? Don't do that again," Raph said, shivering. "That was creepy."

Leo sighed. "Yeah," he said, "I guess it was."

"So, um," Raph said, trying to change the subject, "Donnie."

"Right," Leo said, looking up. "We should check up on him."

The two of them made their way up the stairs to Donnie's room.

"You should probably _knock_ this time," Leo said. Raph just rolled his eyes and opened the door.

Donnie's room was completely dark. Raph made his way to the dark mass that was Donnie's bed, and looked down.

"He's sleeping." Leo whispered.

Not anymore. Donnie's eyes opened.

"Raph?" He asked.

"Hey Don," Raph said, "Um, go back ta sleep."

"'Kay," Donnie said, his eyes closing again.

"Might want to straighten his blanket," Leo whispered. Why was he whispering? It wasn't like Donnie could hear him.

Raph straightened out Donnie's blanket and tucked his brother in. He rubbed his shell a few times, hoping it didn't come across as schmaltzy or something, and then retreated out the bedroom door again.

At least that wasn't as bad as what happened with Mikey.

"Now for April and Casey." Leo said, all traces of whispering gone.

"What about them?" Raph asked as they made their way down the stairs again.

"They still don't know what happened." Leo said.

Raph stopped. "What?" He asked, "How could they not know-"

"You guys tried saving me in the Battleshell," Leo said, "But they weren't there."

"That's right," Raphael said, "Shell, that means I'm gonna have to..." He broke himself off before he could finish the sentence.

"I'll be here with you the whole time," Leo said.

They were silent for a minute.

"Alright," Raph said, "I'm gonna...I'm gonna tell Splinta what I'm gonna do."

He walked over to Splinter's room and poked his head in the door. Mikey was asleep on Splinter's lap, and Splinter was softly crying.

Raph tried not to focus on that.

"I'm gonna call Ape and Case," he said, "Let them know what happened."

Splinter didn't look up. But he did nod. "Thank you," he said.

 _Thank you_? Oh. Because then Splinter wouldn't be the one to tell them.

"Uh, sure." Raph said. He grabbed the shellcell on the table that Leo pointed out to him and walked over to the kitchen, so his Sensei wouldn't have to hear what he was saying-wait a minute.

"Hang on," Raph said, holding up the shellcell, "Whose is this?"

Leo looked at it in surprise. "I don't know. Here, you want me to check for you?"

He reached forward and tried grabbing the shellcell-but his hand just slipped through it and Raph's hand. Raphael shivered, even though he hadn't felt anything, and pulled his hand back as if it was on fire.

"Don't _do_ that," he said.

"Sorry," Leo said.

"Let's worry about whose it is later," Raph said, "I gotta call April and Casey."

"Right," Leo said. "Raph..."

"What?"

"Go easy on them," Leo said.

Raph huffed, and started dialing April. It rang twice before someone picked up.

 _"Donnie?"_ April said sleepily.

"It's Raph," Raphael said. Figures he was calling from Donnie's cell. The turtle sometimes left his gadgets lying around when they weren't topside.

 _"Raph,"_ April said, _"Finally! We were up all night worried sick. How's Leo?"_

This was fast. Too fast. Barely ten seconds into the call and they asked about Leo.

 _"Is he alright?"_ April asked.

"Raph, you have to tell her," Leo said.

 _"Raph? Are you still there?"_ April asked, _"Oh hey Casey, it's Raph. I was just asking him about Leo. Raph?"_

 _"Yo Knucklehead,"_ Casey said through the phone, _"Everythin' all right over there?"_

Great. Now Casey was there too.

"It wasn't their fault," Leo said, looking seriously at Raph, "Raph, tell them it _wasn't their fault_."

"It's bad," Raphael said, finally gaining his voice, "But it ain't your fault."

 _"How bad is it?"_ April asked, _"Does Donnie need any more supplies? Casey and I could rush over there right away-"_

"No," Raph said, trying to force his voice to stay neutral. "We don't need any more supplies."

"Raphael." Leo said, "Just say it."

Raphael opened his mouth and then closed it again.

 _"Raph?"_ April asked, her voice sounding scared.

"Leo didn't make it," Raph said.

He wasn't sure what April and Casey said next. All he heard were his own words. _Leo didn't make it._

"-aph," Leo said, startling him out of his thoughts, "April and Casey are trying to talk to you."

"Huh?" He asked.

 _"Raphael. What happened? You stopped talking there for a minute."_ April was saying. She sounded a little mad at being ignored.

 _"You okay Bud?"_ Casey asked.

"Yeah, yeah I guess," Raph said, "Listen, sorry ta tell you guys over the phone. We're not leavin' the Lair today, but we thought you should know."

 _"We're coming by tonight for dinner."_ April said softly.

"That's okay, you don't have to-" Raph said.

 _"I'll be the judge of that, Raphael."_ April said, _"I'll bet you guys haven't eaten all day, have you?"_

"Ape," Raph said. Leo started chuckling.

 _"Don't ya think they need alone time?"_ Casey asked.

 _"No."_ April said, _"Raph, we'll be there at six."_

"But April," Raphael started to say.

 _"Don't you 'but April' me!" April exclaimed, "Raphael, this doesn't just affect_ you _. We all need to stick together here. Do you think Leo would want you guys to go hungry? Don't bother making anything, I'm bringing dinner. And Casey, don't wear those sweatpants with the holes again."_

 _"Yes April."_ Casey sighed. _"Guess I'll see ya later, Raph."_

"Yeah," Raph said, "Right. See you guys later."

He hung up the shellcell.

"Just like April," Leo said, shaking his head with a smile, "She's always got our backs, doesn't she?"

"Yeah," Raph said.

"You know what she said? That this doesn't just affect you?" Leo said.

"Whaddya mean?" Raph asked.

"I mean that she's really upset," Leo said. "This is her way of dealing with it: taking care of my family."

"Huh." Raph said.

"Better let Splinter know," Leo said.

"Know what?"

"That we're having guests for dinner?" Leo suggested.

Raph groaned, and stomped his way back to Master Splinter. Why was _he_ suddenly in charge of doing everything?

Oh. That's right. It's because Leo died and left him in charge.

"Masta Splinta?" Raph said, peeking into his Sensei's room. Mikey was still asleep on Splinter's lap.

"Yes, Raphael?" His father asked.

"Um, I told April and Casey," Raph said, waving around Donnie's shellcell, "And um, they kinda invited themselves over for dinner."

Mikey stirred. "What?" He asked. Guess he wasn't as asleep as Raph had thought.

"Yeah um," Raphael said, "We-um, I think that's how April's dealing with this."

"They can't come here," Mikey said, sitting up. "We're not ready."

"My son," Splinter said, "When will we ever be ready?"

"They're coming at six, Master," Raph said, "It really hit them bad."

Splinter nodded. "It is good for family to stick together," he said. "Michelangelo. Perhaps you would be up to making them some dinner?"

"Ape said she had it covered Sensei," Raph interjected.

"I see." Splinter nodded. "Perhaps some dessert then?"

Mikey nodded. "Yeah," he said, getting up from Splinter's lap, "Yeah, I could make them something."

"Thanks Mikey," Leo said. But of course only Raph heard him.

"I'll just go get my cookbooks," Mikey said, passing Raph and Leo and heading for the kitchen.

"Raphael," Master Splinter said, "Please let Donatello know about our guests tonight."

"Sure Sensei," Raph said, "Just as soon as he wakes up."

"Good," said Master Splinter. He looked down at the floor of his room and sighed. "Perhaps I should help Michelangelo in the kitchen." he said, getting up.

"What did he just say?" Leo asked.

"Um, Sensei?" Raphael asked.

Master Splinter hadn't cooked in the kitchen in _years_.

"It is not good for some people to grieve alone," Splinter explained.

"I wonder if he's talking about Mikey, or himself." Leo commented to Raph.

"My son," Master Splinter said, grabbing ahold of Raphael's arm, "Please. Stay strong."

Raph could only nod. "Um, here," he said, grabbing Master Splinter's arm, "Let me help ya to the kitchen."

"My son, I am old, not feeble." Splinter responded, but he didn't take his arm away.

As soon as he left Splinter in the kitchen with Mikey, who didn't seem at all shocked by Sensei's sudden desire to bake, Raphael went back to the main living area and sat on the couch in front of the tv.

"So," he said, looking at Leo who joined him on the couch, "Now what?"

Leo shrugged. "Now we wait, I guess," he said. "Maybe turn on the news?"

"What, today?" Raph asked, "After what happened last night?"

"Come on, Raph. We need _something_ normal to happen around here." Leo argued.

"Raph," called a voice from upstairs.

"Yeah Don?" Raph called back up.

"Can you come here for a second?"

Raphael pushed himself away from the couch and made his way upstairs.

"Just so ya know, Don, April and Case are comin' over fer dinner at six," he called up as he went.

"Oh. Ok." Donnie responded. "Um, Raph? Can you help me out with something?"

"Sure Don, what is it?" Raph asked, finally entering Donnie's room. The turtle was sitting up in his bed.

"Whoa," Leo said, looking off into a corner of Donnie's room, "What's with the staff?"

Raphael turned to see what Leo was looking at. The purple ribbons on Donnie's bo staff were gone; it was just bare wood now.

"Donnie," Raphael said, "What happened to your staff?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Don said, sitting up straight as if to prepare himself for something important. "Raphael, I need you to do something for me."

"Sure Don, what is it?" Raph said, sitting on Donnie's bed.

"It's, um, it's hard."

"Just tell me what it is already," Raphael said.

"Raph. Don't push him." Leo suggested.

"Raphael," Donnie said, "I need you to take care of the body."

Leo stiffened. Raphael froze. "The what?" Raph asked.

"It's...I couldn't move it. I couldn't even look at it. It's still in the Battleshell," Donnie said. He looked up at Raphael with watery eyes. "Please." He asked.

Raph gulped. "Um. So, what d'ya want me ta do?" He asked.

"Move it out of there. Ask...ask Splinter what to do. Please. I just...I can't do this."


	4. Chapter 4

_Oh wow, so many reviews after I posted the last chapter! Thank you guys so much!  
_

CHAPTER FOUR

"Alright, Donnie. I got it." Raphael said, forcing himself to stand up and walk towards the door.

"Thank you." Donnie whispered as Raph closed the door.

"Um, Leo..." Raph began, looking towards his brother.

"I'll be fine Raph," Leo said as they made their way downstairs, "I'm more worried about you."

"Hey, don't worry about me, I can handle lots o' things," Raph said, "It's just _weird_ , though."

" _Tell_ me about it. You know, we can put it in my room until you get a casket built," Leo suggested.

"Nah," Raphael shook his head, "Not there, bro. Mikey'd never look at your room the same again."

"I didn't think of that. What about Splinter's room?" Leo asked.

Raph scoffed. "Where'd he sleep, then?" He asked.

"Alright. The dojo?"

"You mean where we all practice?"

"You're not practicing now."

"Yeah, but we'd all remember it."

"Fair point. Where else is there?"

"Master Splinta," Raphael said, entering the kitchen, "Donnie said-"

"Look out Raph!" Mikey shouted, bouncing forward as he caught something shiny that almost hit Raph in the head. "Isn't this great? I should've had Master Splinter cooking here with me years ago!"

"What is it, Raphael?" Splinter asked, balancing three cooking pans and some flour in his arms and on his head. Whatever those two were doing, it was clear that Master Splinter was doing much to entertain his youngest son.

"Uh," Raph said.

"Not the time." Leo advised.

"Agreed," Raphael muttered. "Sensei, um, Don asked me ta take care of somethin' for him. I'm heading out of the Lair, but I'll be back soon."

Splinter frowned, but nodded his head.

"Stay in the shadows." he said.

"Yeah," Raphael said, "Will do. Though I'm only going ta the garage. See ya in a few."

"We still haven't figured out where we're going to put it." Leo said as Raph made his way to the elevator.

"Look," Raphael said as the elevator door closed, "Until everyone is ready and Splinter says that he wants it out in full view surrounded by candles and stuff, I'm just going ta put it somewhere no one will look for it."

"Raph," Leo said, " _Don't_ leave it out in the sewers. That's just gross."

"I won't," Raph responded, "Look Leo, I'm just gonna leave it in my room, alright? No one'll come in there, and I can sleep on the couch downstairs."

"Alright," Leo said, "At least it's not on the sewers. Although come to think of it, your room might be just as bad."

Raphael retaliated to that with a light punch. "Can it Fearless," he said.

Or it would have been a light punch, if it didn't go straight through Leo.

That was the moment when they both remembered that Leo wasn't...well, _there_ anymore.

"So," said Raph, "Maybe when they're done in the kitchen, I'll go to Splinter and ask him if he knows what's happening. You know, how come I can see you and all."

"Yeah," Leo said. "Sounds like a plan."

The elevator door opened, and a few seconds later they were at the Battleshell in the garage.

"So," said Raphael, reluctant to open the vehicle door, "How are we gonna do this?"

* * *

"Are you sure you want it on your bed?" Leo asked as Raph placed the body in his hammock, "I'm fine with it on the floor."

"Grow up Leo, will ya?" Raph asked, concentrating on his task. "I'm fine. It's not like I'll have nightmares or anythin'. Not like Mikey, anyway."

"Right," Leo said.

"Now," Raphael said, straightening up. "We cleaned up the Battleshell-"

" _You_ cleaned the Battleshell," Leo corrected.

"-so now I just need ta wait until Mikey and Splinter are done in the kitchen, then corner Splinter and let him know what's goin' on." Raph said. "And let him know I put your body here. 'Cause, you know, he might want ta move it somewhere else."

"Not yet," Leo said, "I've been thinking, and I'd like you to tell him _after_ April and Casey visit tonight."

"Leo-"

"Please, Raph. I don't want him worrying about me while they're here."

"Fine," Raphael conceded. "After that."

"Thanks." Leo said.

"Whatever." Raph said. "I'm heading downstairs. You coming?"

"Sure." Said Leo, "After all, what _else_ is there to do?"

When they entered the kitchen, Mikey and Splinter were still making...something...and Donnie was sitting at the kitchen table watching them. Raph noticed that he didn't have his bo staff with him.

"Hey," Donnie said as Raph sat down.

"Done." Raphael said.

"Thanks," Donnie said, visibly relieved. "Where'd you put him?" He whispered, leaning closer to Raph.

For some reason, Raph was keenly aware of Leo standing next to him, leaning against the kitchen door.

"Someplace safe an' out of the way, for now," Raph answered. "I didn't get the chance ta run it by Splinter yet, but we'll worry about that later. Also, I cleaned the 'Shell up fer ya. So you can use it when you need to."

"Raphie," Donnie said, "I knew I could count on you."

"Yeah yeah," Raph waved that comment away. "So. What's going on here?"

"Mikey and Master Splinter are making at least four different desserts," Donnie said, "I hope April and Casey are hungry tonight."

"Good to see them having fun," Leo commented.

"Well," Raphael said, "Are we just gonna sit here and watch 'em do all the work?"

"No," said Donnie. "Want to join in?"

"Makin' what?" Raph asked.

"How about brownies?" Leo asked, "I think there's going to be some room for them in the oven."

"Now _that's_ a good idea." Raph said.

"What's a good idea?" Donnie asked, confused.

"Brownies." Raphael said _._

"Sounds good," Donnie nodded. "Hey Mikey, got any brownie mix? Raph and I would like to join you."

"Brownies? You guys wanna make brownies?" Mikey sounded ecstatic. "All right!"

"On second thought, maybe we shouldn't have offered," Donnie said as Mikey grabbed his arm.

"Agreed," Raphael said as Mikey grabbed him with his other arm. Leo just laughed.

By the time April and Casey arrived, the dinner table was set, all the desserts were prepared and the kitchen was cleaned.

"Hey guys," April said semi-cheerfully as she made her way into the Lair with arms full.

"Hey April," Leo waved. "I'm glad she's recovered so well from last night." he told Raph.

"Um, could someone-" April began.

"I got it!" Mikey said, snatching the bags from her arms.

"Hey, what about me?" Casey asked, his arms filled with twice as many bags.

"Get in the kitchen Bonehead," Raphael smirked, pointing to the kitchen. Casey could carry his _own_ bags.

"I hope you guys don't mind, I think I went a little overboard when I made the food." April said, starting to unpack the bags that Mikey had placed on the counter. "Wow, who made these delicious smelling desserts?"

"I did, with the help of Master Splinter," Mikey bowed at her.

"Master Splinter?" April asked, "Now I'll _have_ to try everything!"

"Good, 'cause we can't eat it all." Donnie said.

"What _did_ you make, April?" Splinter asked, "It smells...so delicious!"

"Oh, just some ham and potatoes, beans, asparagus, breads, cranberry sauce..." She rattled off everything she brought with her, and then pulled out a few drinks as well-some teas, sodas and sparkling apple cider.

"This is quite a feast." Splinter said, looking over all the food.

"I wish _I_ could eat some of this," Leo said, looking at Raph, "Better eat twice as much for me, bro!"

Raph grunted in acknowledgment and agreement. Just _looking_ at all that food made him hungry. He hadn't realized until that moment that he skipped lunch.

"Well, I figured we all could use some cheering up," April said, "And anyway, there's going to be enough leftovers to last you a few days."

"More like a few weeks," Casey grumbled, apparently roped into setting out the food as well as carrying it.

"This is great," Mikey said, "Thank you April! Leo'd love it."

At Leo's name, everyone fell quiet. After all, he was the reason they were all there.

"Um, guys," Raphael said, breaking the silence, "Are we eatin' or what?"

The flurry of movement that occurred as everyone rushed to place all the food on the table wasn't entirely due to hunger.

As soon as all the food and people were at the table and everyone had said grace, dinner began. It was almost like a normal dinner with the family. Almost. There was that empty chair next to Raphael that kept reminding them that someone was missing.

"So," April said as soon as everyone had crammed as much dessert into their stomachs as they could, "Who's up for a game of cards?"

"I am," Leo said, forgetting himself again.

"Um, no offense April," Donnie said, "But that's something that Leo loved to do."

"Yeah," Mikey said. "I'd rather not do that tonight."

"What?" Leo asked, "Come on, guys!"

"Guys," Raph said, "Let's just do it. Leo'd want that."

"C'mon Raph, not today." Mikey said.

"Guys," Leo said sadly, even though he knew they couldn't hear him, "I _want_ you to have fun."

"Hey, if you guys aren't game, that's fine," Casey said, throwing his hands back. "How about a movie instead?"

"Not really," said Mikey.

"Leo is the one who _started_ movie night," Donnie said, "And it just doesn't feel right today."

"Alright," April said, "How about we tell stories? You know, the way you guys always like to do?"

"Leo started that too," Mikey said.

"My sons," Master Splinter said, "You have guests over tonight. Leonardo would not want you to sacrifice every good thing just because it reminds you of his passing."

They were silent for a while.

"Let's just get the cards and play for a while," Raph said, deciding to take charge, "Then if we're bored we'll do something else. Got it?"

"Fine." said Donnie.

"Sure, I guess." said Mikey.

"Alright then," April said, "Who's got the deck?"

"Raphael?" Splinter asked.

"Sure thing Sensei," Raph answered, jumping up to grab the deck from next to the couch. It was kind of hard to miss because Leo was just standing above the deck pointing to it. It was more than obvious that the guy wanted them to play.

"So. You guys ready to play or what?" Raphael retorted.

"Let's go," Mikey said, taking the cards from Raph and hopping over to the couch. He landed in the empty area in front of the tv, where they always liked to play when they had a card game going.


	5. Chapter 5

_Another chapter for you guys! Thanks again for all the feedback. I hope that, wherever you are in the world and whether or not you are from the U.S., you had a great fourth of July yesterday!  
_

CHAPTER FIVE

This was awkward.

In fact, out of this whole experience Raph thought that this was the most awkward thing that had happened so far. Here he was, cards in hand, trying to play a good game with his brothers, friends and Sensei-and there was Leo, sitting right there at his elbow, staring at his cards as if they were his own. Apparently, since he couldn't play Leo had decided that he was going to team up with Raph, to the latter's discomfort.

"I think you should fold," Leo was telling him, "Don's wiggling his toes. That means he's got a good hand he's trying to hide. And judging by how much he's wriggling them, I think it's a _really_ good hand."

Wait. Don _wiggled his toes_? Only Fearless would ever notice something like _that_. Raph gritted his teeth, but stubbornly chose not to fold.

"You shouldn't sigh like that," Leo told him. He hadn't even realized that he _had_ sighed. "Sensei knows you know something. He's going to watch you carefully now."

Raph growled as low as he could, trying to ignore Leo's _next_ piece of advice. Forget talking ghost brothers, nothing in the _world_ was as awkward as a backseat poker player.

Sometime during the fifth round of the third card game, Splinter excused himself for the night. Not long after that Raphael snuck out of the main room and headed straight for Splinter's room, Leonardo right behind him. It was time to finally talk to Splinter. Sure, April and Casey were still in the Lair, but Raph didn't want to wait any longer. Leo seemed to understand that because he didn't argue about it.

"Masta Splinter," Raphael said, knocking as he entered his father's room, "I've got somethin' ta tell ya."

"What is it, my son?" Splinter asked from his position on the floor.

Raph took a moment to listen to the sounds outside the door. Everyone in the main part of the Lair was still occupied by the game they were playing. Good. That meant they wouldn't hear what he was going to say.

"It's Leo," Raph said, sitting down, "I just...I keep seeing him, Sensei."

"Raphael," Splinter said, looking up at him, "Sometimes when one witnesses a tragic death, the scene will replay inside our minds. But these are not real-"

"It ain't that," Raph interrupted, earning him a quick reprimand from Leo who was standing by the door, "I see him alive. He's really there, but I'm the only one seein' him. What's going on, Sensei?"

Master Splinter looked hard at his son, as if trying to read him by his eyes.

"You have been through a traumatic event," he announced finally, "And like your brothers and I, you have not yet recovered. Disregard these visions, my son."

"But Sensei, Leo's not a vision." Raph said. "He's not even see-through."

"Please, Master Splinter," Leo pleaded from the door, "I'm here. Can't you feel me?"

"He wants ta know why you can't feel him, Master." Raphael relayed.

"My son," Master Splinter said, placing his hand on Raph's shoulders, "I cannot feel the presence of your brother because he is not here."

Raph felt Leo shift uncomfortably behind him.

"Raphael, you have been through much today," Splinter said, "And I am very proud of you for taking such responsibility on your shoulders during such a difficult time. But you also need to rest, and come to terms with what has occurred. Please, my son. Go and rest."

Raphael opened up his mouth to answer, but then closed it.

"Yes Sensei," he said, getting up to leave.

"Raph," Leo said, his voice sounding mournful, "You should tell him about the body."

"Masta Splinter," Raph said, turning back to Splinter, "Donnie asked me to move Leo's body from the Battleshell today."

"I see." Splinter said, his ears turning back towards his head, "Did you place him in his room?"

"No, Sensei." Raphael said.

Splinter looked surprised.

"I put him somewhere safe," Raph continued, "I don't think Donnie wants ta know where. But Mikey-I don't want him to think of Leo's body in Leo's bed."

"Where is he then?" Splinter asked.

"In mine." Raph said.

Splinter seemed to consider this. Then he nodded.

"It is fitting," he said, "that he should rest at home among his family before his final resting place."

"So," said Raph, "What're we gonna do?"

"You are correct in assuming that Michelangelo and Donatello do not need to know where Leonardo is," Splinter said, "But if they ask, we will tell them. In the meantime, we shall open Leonardo's door so that anyone may enter. It might do us all good to be among Leonardo's things. And you, Raphael, where will you sleep?"

"I was gonna sleep on the couch," Raph said.

"Good," said Splinter. "I will go attend to the body. I have been absent from my poor son long enough."

"Master Splinter," Leo said pleadingly, "It's just a body."

Splinter walked out of the room, and Raph followed him.

"I think I'll go with Splinter," Leo told Raph sadly, "You know, to watch over him. Stay here and keep our guests entertained."

"Yeah, sure. Go ahead." Raph answered him curtly.

Splinter looked at Raph strangely, but continued on to the stairs accompanied by Leo.

"Yo, Raph!" Casey called out, "We're doing another round. Want in?"

"Why not?" He responded, trying to hide the disappointment that was in his voice, "Move over, Case. I get to sit on the couch this time."

* * *

Raphael woke up to the sound of crying.

He was lying on the couch downstairs. April and Casey had gone home hours before. The lair was cold, and everyone had gone to bed. None of the turtles upstairs had come downstairs, because if they had Raph would have heard them on the first step.

So who was crying in the dojo?

"Leo," Raph whispered.

He kicked off his blanket and got up off the couch. As quickly and quietly as he could, he made his way into the dojo. There was his blue masked brother, kneeling on the ground in front of the wall that held his katanas, weeping.

Raph took a deep breath and knelt down, then in a rare show of affection hugged his brother. It didn't exactly work, since he was just holding onto thin air. If he wasn't careful his arms could go through Leo's shell, but at least Leo stopped crying.

"Raph," Leo said without turning around.

"Yeah. What's with the waterworks?" Raph asked. Well, he was never one for tact.

"I guess it just finally hit me," Leo said, turning to look at him. "I'm _dead_ , Raph. My body-I've been thinking of it like it's this whole other person, but that's _me_ up there. I'm dead."

"Yeah, I know." Raph said. "But you're here, ain't ya? I mean, you're like our resident ghost or somethin'. That's better than being gone, right?"

"Except I don't want to be a ghost," Leo said, "I want to _live_. I want to hold my weapons and live!"

The tears started coming again. It was worse for Raph this time. To hear Leo cry was one thing, but to actually see it was completely unnerving. Because Leo _never_ cried.

So Raph just closed his eyes and pretended that this was Mikey crying all over again. Not his big, older, dead brother, but Mikey. Yeah. This was manageable now.

"And Raph," Leo said, barely whispering, "I'm cold."

"Cold?" Raph asked, "How can you be cold?"

"I-I don't know," Leo said, pulling back, "Raph. Is it cold here in the Lair?"

"Well yeah," Raph said, "Are you feeling that?"

"...I'm not sure," Leo said.

"Hang on, let me get you a blanket." Raph disappeared, and was back in two seconds with the blanket he had been using on the couch.

"There," he said, placing it around Leo's shoulders, "That help?"

"No," Leo said, raising an eyebrow and shivering as the blanket slipped through him to the ground. "Raph, do you think..."

"Think what?" He asked.

"Raph, is it cold in your room at night?" Leo asked.

"Sometimes. Why?" Raph asked.

"Get the blanket," Leo said, racing out of the dojo and up the stairs. Confused, Raph grabbed the blanket and followed him, taking a little more care to be silent.

"What's up?" He asked as Leo reached Raph's door.

"A hunch," Leo said, trying and failing to grab the doorknob with his hands.

"Just walk through the door genius," Raph said.

Leo raised an eyebrow at him. "Or you _could_ open it for me, you know."

Raph rolled his eyes, but dutifully opened the door.

Quickly, Leo raced inside while Raph turned on the lights and shut the door behind them.

"Look," Leo said, pointing to the body.

"So?" Raph asked, stepping closer.

"There's no blanket on it," Leo said, "Put the blanket on."

Raph sighed. What the shell was Leo up to? Better to just do as he says, though.

"Okay, fine." Raph said, placing the blanket on the body.

"It worked," Leo said almost immediately, "I'm not as cold as before."

"Wait, _what_?" Raph asked, stepping towards the body.

He grabbed a hand and checked for a pulse...nothing.

"I'm still connected to it somehow," Leo said.

"That ain't right," Raph said, furrowing his brow in confusion even as he checked Leo's other hand for a pulse. "Leo, are you sure you're really dead?"

"No." Leo said, looking straight at him, "I'm not sure of anything anymore."


	6. Chapter 6

_What is this, another chapter? It is. Well, since it's already written, why not post it now? Any objections? No? Well then, here you go...  
_

CHAPTER SIX

"And just how am I gonna do _that_?" Raph asked Leo.

The two of them were talking in the kitchen, so that there'd be less of a chance that they were overheard by anyone. At least, they were doing it so _Raph_ wouldn't be overheard by anyone. They still couldn't hear Leo.

"I don't know," Leo said, "But if you don't do it-Raph, think about it. I'm connected to that body somehow. If there's even a small, slim chance that there's a way I'm still alive, don't you think I'm going to take it?"

"Yeah, but burying a fake body?" Raph whispered. "Do you know what it'll be like when the real one starts going all rotten, and I'm gonna have to bury that too?"

"But what if it doesn't?" Leo said, "What if all I need is a really good healer, and what if I'm just slowing my body down? You know, using my ninja skills or something?"

"So how come you're here, in front of me?" Raph asked, "How come I didn't feel a pulse, _Donny_ didn't feel a pulse? What if the whole cold thing was your imagination? Listen ta yourself. You said it already; you're dead. I was _there_. This whole feeling thing doesn't make any _sense_."

" _Make sense?_ " Leo asked. "I'll tell you what doesn't _make sense._ How come out of all the people in the Lair, only _you_ can see me? Of all the hotheaded-"

"Oh, so that's how it's gonna be?" Raph interrupted him, unconsciously clenching his fist, "Bring it on, Fearless!"

Raph jumped, prepared to use only his fists. Leo jumped as well. But the two of them landed on opposite sides of the kitchen.

"What the-" Raph said.

"Did that just-" Leo began, "We jumped right through each other, didn't we?"

"Guess so." Raph sighed, picking himself up. "Look at that, Fearless. We can't even fight right."

Leo humphed.

"So now what?" Raph asked.

Leo sighed. "I don't know," he said, walking out of the kitchen, "Figure it out for yourself. I'm dead anyway."

* * *

The next morning felt very much like the previous. Leo didn't look at Raph when he walked past him on the couch, just like he hadn't looked at him in the kitchen the day before. The big difference between the two days was that as Raph passed under Mikey's door he heard music playing from the orange turtle's room.

After hardly any breakfast and a few glare at Leo on the couch, Raph was finally able to ask his Sensei the question that had been bothering him all night.

"Masta Splinter," Raph said to his father as soon as Splinter entered the room, "When are we gonna...you know...bury him?"

Leo perked his head up from the couch at that.

"Donatello has been making a coffin for your brother," Splinter said quietly, "And our friend Casey Jones has generously allowed us to bury him at the farmhouse. We will prepare to bury him tomorrow."

Raph nodded. "Right," he said.

"In the meantime," Splinter said, heading towards the kitchen, "I suggest you and your brothers keep yourselves busy."

"Right Sensei," Raphael said. He turned to Leo as soon as Splinter was out of earshot. "And just how are we gonna do that?"

"Figure it out." Leo said, looking at his empty hands again.

"No, seriously." Raph said, plopping down next to his brother.

"It's simple," Leo said, looking up at him. "There are only three places to stay busy in." He held up all three of his fingers, one by one. "The Lair, the sewers, and topside."

"So," Raph said, "Maybe it's time ta go after the goon who killed ya?"

"Raphael!" Leo said, "It is _not_. Donnie and Mikey aren't ready to fight. And I don't think you are either."

"So what do we _do_?" Raph groaned.

"Choose one of the three options." said Leo.

"You aren't gonna make this easy, are ya?"

"No," Leo said, "I'm still mad at you for not agreeing to switch my body in the coffin."

"Leo," Raph whispered, "You're dead. Your body is dead, and we need ta bury it. You've just been imagining things."

"Maybe." Leo said, "But Raph, I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"Of what happens if this really isn't my imagination. Or worse, what happens after I'm buried? Will Sensei, Donnie, Mikey, April and Casey be alright? Will _you_ be alright?"

Raph didn't know how to answer him.

The rest of the day passed by fast, in that slow-motion blur of a bad day that ends too quickly. After Leo pushed Raph into organizing practice for everyone, Raph finally gave in and made them all train for a few hours. Donnie and Mikey spent the rest of the day moping around doing who knows what, and eventually (with some encouragement from Leo) Raph finally got the courage to turn on the tv and invite some normalcy back into their lives.

That evening, Master Splinter announced to Donnie and Mikey that they were going to bury Leonardo the next day.

* * *

They got up early, and the drive up to the farmhouse seemed longer than normal. Mikey, Donnie and Splinter were all in car borrowed from April while Raph and Leo traveled with the coffin in the Battleshell. Raph didn't tell Donnie, but he hadn't sealed up the coffin yet. He was still heavily debating with Leo over whether they should swap out the body for something else.

Finally, they arrived.

Donnie was shaking-he claimed it was due to the stress of driving so long-and so Mikey and Raph were the ones to dig the grave. Raph chose the spot, under a big oak tree. At least, he seemed to choose it. In reality Leo told him where he wanted to be buried. Leo started speaking eloquently about why this was a perfect metaphor for his life, but Raph wasn't really listening. By the time they were finished with the grave April and Casey had arrived in a separate car, and Casey offered to help Raph lift the coffin out of the back of the Battleshell.

"Alright," Casey said to Raph, each at one end of the coffin, "Ready ta do this?"

"No," Raph said, "Let's just get this over with."

With a grunt and some heavy lifting the coffin was out. That was when Leo stopped talking. It was like the blue masked turtle finally realized what was going on.

"Raph, it's not sealed." Donnie pointed out.

"Sorry," Raph said, although he really wasn't.

"Wait!" Mikey said, "Let me see him again first."

"Mikey," Donnie warned.

"Please." Mikey said.

Raph nodded, and silently lifted the lid. Everyone who wanted to got one last look at Leo before Casey nailed the coffin shut.

"And that's that." Leo whispered.

"He died saving my life," April said.

"It wasn't yer fault," Raph said, repeating what Leo had said the other day.

"I know," April said, "I just wish there was some way I could pay him back."

No one spoke for a few minutes. Then they began.

After the funeral and the burial, everyone went inside to eat something and exchange their favorite stories about the turtle. Once in a while someone would trickle out to stand alone at Leo's grave, and then they would walk back inside. Through it all Leo always stood next to Master Splinter, and his hand kept going through the rat's shoulder by accident as he tried to comfort his poor father.

It wasn't until several hours later that Raph realized something was wrong.

It was Leo. After night fell and while everyone was telling Leo stories, the older brother had started shivering.

"I'll be alright Raph," he said when his brother looked at him questioningly, "I'm just cold, that's all."

"Ya sure?" Raph whispered, keeping an eye out so that no one saw him speak to thin air.

"Positive," Leo said, "I'm sure it's just my imagination. Don't worry about me, Raphie."

A few more hours into the night, though, told Raph that there _was_ something to worry about. Since no one was feeling up to driving after the funeral they were all spending the night at the farmhouse. Raph was sleeping on the couch downstairs because April and Casey, being the married couple, had the large bed he typically used. The only other empty room upstairs was the one Leo used, and understandably no one wanted to go in _there_.

Raph woke up from his half-sleep to find Leo yelling at him.

"What?" He asked, glaring at his brother for waking him even though he felt that something was wrong.

"Raph," Leo said, his face showing just how worried he was, "I'm having trouble breathing."

At that moment, it seemed to Raph that the world stopped.

"Did you say _breathing_?" he asked.

Leo nodded. "Yeah," he gulped. "Raph, I think...I think we made a mistake burying the body."

"No," Raph growled, " _I_ made the mistake."

He had to get Leo out of the ground, and fast.


	7. Chapter 7

_Thanks for the reviews, follows and favs! Here is the next chapter for you._

CHAPTER SEVEN

It wasn't difficult for Raph to get a shovel and a hammer. That was _way_ too easy, they were actually leaning against the end of the couch he was sleeping on. Raph could only assume they were there because of three things: 1) the recent funeral, 2) unlike most people Casey Jones doesn't know how to put things away, and 3) April must have been too out of it to nag him about it.

But it was going to be _very_ difficult for him to dig Leo out without anyone noticing. And then once he was out, how was he going to hide the body?

Raph looked at Leo in front of him trying to breathe, and steeled himself. He was going to get this done. It didn't matter _how_. He just needed to get the first part of the plan done as soon as possible. And that first part was giving Leo some air.

"Come on," he growled, and carefully walked to the front door.

He stopped for a minute to listen to the sounds of the farmhouse. He hated having to stop when Leo needed him, but if anyone saw what he was about to do, it wouldn't get done...All clear. Everyone must still be asleep. Hopefully Sensei was asleep too, because out of everyone there Splinter would be the first one to know he left the house. Maybe if he _was_ awake, though, Master Splinter would think that Raph just needed to get outside for a while. After all, it's not like even Master Splinter could know what he was about to do...

As quietly as possible, Raph opened up the front door.

He made his way as silently as he could to the gravesite, Leo right behind him. The grave was within viewing distance of the farmhouse, so he needed to work fast before anyone woke up and decided to look out a bedroom window.

Should he work fast, or silently? Silence was needed to keep anyone from waking up, but right now, Leo needed him more. So he chose to risk it and work quickly. He dropped the hammer next to the grave, dug the shovel into the ground and began digging.

The soil wasn't difficult to move. After all, it had all been moved around earlier that day when they put the coffin in. Shovelful after shovelful of dirt left the grave and was tossed carelessly next to it. Raph glanced at Leo even as he worked, and whatever it was that he saw in Leo's struggling face made him work even faster.

As soon as he hit the coffin, Raph broke into it with the hammer. He didn't care if a little dirt from on top of the coffin fell into the crack, or even if the hammer accidentally hit his brother underneath the wood. That was stuff they could deal with later. Right now, they needed to get Leo some air.

Leo's sudden gasp of relief was all it took to know that was accomplished.

"Now fer the hard part," Raph whispered.

Because the grave was able to be seen from the farmhouse, he needed to work as fast as he could. He used the hammer to pry out half the nails of the coffin and threw the lid open. Then, with ghost Leo acting as lookout for him, he grabbed the body and pulled it out of the coffin.

"Got it," he told Leo.

"Hurry," Leo responded.

Raph nodded, and came up with a quick plan. He ran as fast as he could to the Battleshell and placed the body in the vehicle, then shut the car door as quietly as he could before returning to the grave.

"It's in the Battleshell," he explained to Leo, "I don't think anyone's gonna look in there. Plus, it should have enough air for the night."

"Good," said Leo, already sounding like he was feeling a lot better, "You're going to need some more dirt. The coffin's caved in."

"I'll get some from the forest," Raph said, "It'll go at the bottom, and all the old dirt can stay at the top."

"Right," Leo agreed.

It took a long, long time for the two of them to make the gravesite look as if no one had tampered with it. Thank goodness for Leo's perfectionism. As soon as that was finished, they walked along the routes Raph took through the forest and to the Battleshell, to erase any trace of dirt that shouldn't be there.

Once, someone woke up in the farmhouse. Raph had to hide in the forest for a whole hour before Leo announced the all clear.

"It was just Donnie," Leo told Raph, "I think he had a nightmare and wanted to clear his head."

Eventually, everything was done.

Raph jumped in the nearby pond to wash out whatever traces of dirt were still left on him and then, only then, did he go inside and head for bed, trusting that Leo would let him know if there was a problem with the body. He got up as soon as he could to take a shower and wash the pond gunk off of him. He hadn't dared to take a shower when he came in late at night; someone would have noticed.

That morning it was a somber group of half-asleep people who met in the farmhouse kitchen for breakfast.

"Thanks again for letting Leo stay here, Case," Donnie said.

"No prob," Casey said, sadly swishing his coffee around in the coffee pot, "Anything for Leo, ya know?"

"Truly we are in your debt, Casey Jones." Splinter said.

"Raph, we'd better get going in the 'Shell," Leo said to Raph, "I don't want anyone peeking into it and finding me in there."

"Okay fine, just hold your horses." Raph whispered back to him.

"Huh?" Mikey asked.

"Nothing, Mikey." Raph said, "Listen, Masta, I was thinkin'. Would it be alright if I headed home early?"

Five pairs of eyes stared right at him.

"I just," Raph said, "I need some time ta be alone."

"Raph," Casey started, but closed his mouth and didn't finish.

"Is that ok?" Raph asked.

"It is alright, Raphael." Splinter said, "It has been very difficult for you, as it has for all of us. Go on home, my son. We shall meet you there later."

"Take your time," Raph said, "I mean, it ain't stuffy out here like it is back home."

"Don't you worry about us, Raphie." Donnie said, reaching out to his brother, "Take care of yourself."

"Yeah," Mikey said, "We all know you need to blow off some steam. We wouldn't want it to be _us_ getting pummeled, now would we?"

"Nah," Raph chuckled, "Guess not."

"Need any snacks for the road?" Casey offered.

"Nah, I'm good," Raph said as he stepped onto the porch-but he grabbed the chips and soda that Casey tossed him anyway. "Thanks, Case."

"Don't mention it!" Casey yelled from inside the house.

"Take care," April called out.

Raph fished the Battleshell keys out of his pocket and unlocked the car.

"Is it still there?" He asked.

He saw Leo go around the back of the car and stick his head through the back door.

"Yes," Leo responded, "I'm still there."

"Good," Raph said, getting into the front seat. "Home, here we come."

The drive home was uneventful. Leo and Raph were both relieved, but neither one really knew what they were going to do next. They spent the trip ignoring their problems by listening to the radio and arguing. They mostly argued over Raph's choice of music, since Leo couldn't touch the radio to change it.

It was eery entering the Liar when it was empty. It was all the more creepy because Raph was carrying Leo's unburied body over his shoulder.

"Alright," Raph said as he placed the body in his bed again, "So. What do we do now?"

"Well, we know that I'm breathing." Leo said.

"And we know you can feel cold," Raph said.

"So," Leo said, "if we can fix me up-"

"But that don't explain why you're standing over there," Raph said. "We can fix your body, but as long as you're here..."

"Yeah, I get it Raph." Leo said, "I might not be able to wake up if I'm standing out here."

"Think you can try getting back in?"

"Maybe," Leo said, stepping forward.

"Wait!" Raph stopped him.

"What is it?" Leo asked.

"Maybe we'd better fix ya up first." Raph said.

Leo nodded. "Right," he said, stepping back. "Alright. Where do we start?"


	8. Chapter 8

_Next chapter, coming right up!_

CHAPTER EIGHT

"This was a bad idea," Raph said, knocking some old book off of Donnie's shelf in Donnie's lab. "If Don thought ya were dead, and he's the one with all the equipment, then how the shell are _we_ supposed ta fix you up?"

"The first step in fixing me is to determine what's wrong." Leo said, watching Raph work.

"What's wrong?" Raph asked, "Ya don't have a pulse, _that's_ what's wrong."

"But I'm _breathing_ ," Leo said, "So I have to have _some_ kind of pulse."

"Maybe you were right earlier," Raph said, "When ya told me you might be usin' ninja skills. Maybe you're tryin' ta slow yer body down, and that's why the pulse slowed down."

"Maybe," Leo said, "But usually it takes an immense amount of concentration to do that, Raph. Don't you think I'd know what I'm doing?"

"Hm," Raph said, almost tearing the pages of the medical book he was reading in his haste to skim through it.

"Raphael," Leo said, "I have an idea."

"What?"

"Shakespeare." Leo said.

"What 'bout him?" Raph asked.

"He wrote Romeo and Juliet, remember?" Leo asked.

"So?"

"Juliet drank something that made her look dead," Leo said.

Raph looked up at Leo.

"Ya think..." he asked.

"Raph," Leo said, "Where's the sword that Foot soldier threw? Where's the sword that killed me?"

"I-I dunno," Raph said, "I haven't seen it. Do ya think that..."

"That the tip was poisoned? It's possible," Leo said, "But we need to find the sword."

"Donnie would know where it is." Raph said.

"Then let's look around," Leo said, "He didn't leave it in the Battleshell, so he probably carried it in here. After all, no one comes in here. Usually." He grinned sheepishly at his brother.

"Right," Raph said, starting to look around and open the lab drawers and cabinets.

"You know," Leo reasoned, standing in his 'thinking stance', "There's only one reason that Donnie would hide the sword."

"'Cause it killed ya?" Raph asked.

"No," Leo said, "He left my body in the Shell, remember? The reason he'd take the sword and leave the body is that he was too tired to lift the body, but he didn't want the sword hanging around."

"So," Raph said, "It _was_ poisoned and Donnie knew it."

"Maybe," Leo said, "It's still just a hunch. He could've just wanted to get rid of the weapon."

"But then why wouldn't he wait until morning?" Raph asked.

"Exactly." Leo answered.

"Leo, look!" Raph said, opening the furthest cabinet in the back of the lab, "I found it."

"Careful," Leo said, "Don't let it cut you."

Raph slowly drew out the Foot sword. The blade of the sword was completely wrapped up in purple linen.

"Well," Leo said, "Now we know what happened to the missing ribbon on Donnie's bo staff."

"Why'd he do that?" Raph asked.

"Because it _was_ poisoned," Leo said, bending down to look more closely at the sword in Raph's hands, "He probably didn't tell anyone because he didn't want to make my death worse than it already was."

"But if Donnie knew it was poisoned, then wouldn't he check ta see which kind?" Raph asked.

"Not if he thought it killed me," Leo said, "Not right away, anyhow."

"So," said Raph, "What do we do about it?"

Leo's face hardened. "We're going to find out which kind it is, and make an antidote."

"Do we need ta?" Raph asked, "I mean, in the story, didn't Juliette wake up on 'er own?"

Leo looked up at Raph in surprise. "Raphael," he asked, "Did you read Romeo and Juliette?"

Raph growled, and Leo laughed.

"Well," Leo said, "Maybe it will go away on its own. But in the meantime we should find out if there's something else in the poison that could keep it in me longer. And we need to patch up my body...oh! I haven't eaten in a few days, so maybe we should set up an IV to get me fluids."

"I think we need ta wait on that," Raph said, "Until we find out what kind o' poison it is. I mean, if it's slowing down yer pulse it's slowin' down yer blood, so the IV won't work right, right?"

"Honestly, I don't know," Leo said, "Neither one of us is a doctor. Just grab a few books, I'll do an internet search-"

"What, you can touch things now?" Raph smirked.

Leo sighed. "Fine," he said, "I'll let you do that."

"Geez Leo, you're _so_ kind," Raph said, rolling his eyes.

"Just get going, alright?"

Raph took a sample of the poison from the blade. It was still on there because of Donnie's makeshift sheath. Next, he took a sample of Leo's blood from the body. He carefully put the two on slides, preparing them the way he'd seen Donnie do in the past. He put them under Donnie's microscope, and then stared at them through the lens.

He twisted a knob or two on the microscope, and looked some more.

"I have no idea what the shell I'm looking at here." he announced finally.

"Take some of your own blood," Leo suggested, "Compare it to that."

"Fine," Raph said, cutting his finger with one sai and preparing a third slide.

They both were silent as Raph worked.

"This doesn't match," he announced finally, "Yer blood ain't like mine."

"Try mixing your blood with the poison." Leo suggested.

"Alright," Raph said, and he added a drop of the poison from the sword to the sample.

"What does it look like?" Leo asked.

" _Way_ more like yours," Raph said, "But Leo, I'll be honest. I have no idea what ta do next."

"Fine," Leo said, "Forget the antidote for now. Let's just clean up here and patch up the body. We'll grab all the supplies we're going to use and hide them in your room."

"Why?"

"So that when Donnie gets back, we won't have to sneak in here to get anything." Leo said.

"Good plan," Raph said, putting the sword back in the cabinet, "But what do we grab? And when we have it, what then?

"We'll figure that out when we get there," Leo said, "In the meantime, try finding the IV and some nutrients."

"Got it," Raph said, "Let's get this stuff outta here."

Grabbing some extra bandages and antiseptic, Raph left the lab with Leo close behind.

"Do ya think we'll need ta break into the blood bank too?" Raph asked, "'Cause _that'd_ be fun." He was speaking sarcastically.

"Raph," said Leo, "You're a genius!"

"What?"

"The blood bank," Leo said, "Specifically, _my_ blood. Raph, the poison is in my blood! All we have to do is give me a blood transfusion."

"You think that'll work?" Raph asked.

"Better than waiting for it to go away on its own." Leo said.

"Right," Raph said, carefully entering his room and placing the supplies on the bed next to Leo's body. "Alright, bro. We'd better hurry up and get yer blood outta the bank before Donnie gets-"

"We're home!" Mikey shouted from downstairs, slamming the front door open.

"Spoke too soon," Raph said, looking at Leo, "Shell! Why couldn't they have stayed away longer?"

"Raphael! We are home my son."

"It doesn't matter. Raph, you'd better get out there before they come in _here_ looking for you." Leo said, gesturing to the supplies...and the body.

If anyone discovered Leo in there, Raph was _so_ dead.

"Right, right," Raph sighed, "COMIN'!" He yelled.

He made sure to close his door as he left his room.

"It is good to see you again Raphael," Splinter said, touching his arm, "Now if you all will excuse me, I am fatigued by the journey. If you need me I will be in my room."

"See ya Sensei!" Mikey said.

"Had time to do some thinking, Raph?" Donnie asked him, flipping onto the couch.

"Thinking?" Mikey asked, flipping onto the couch to join him, "Why would Raphie-boy do that?"

"Hardy har," Raph said, "Fer your information, I had _plenty_ ta think about. What did you two bums do?"

"Thinking." Mikey responded cheekily.

"We spent some more time at the farmhouse," Donnie embellished, "That's about it. April put some flowers on Leo's grave. Said it was looking too bare."

"What kind of flowers?" Leo asked.

"What kind?" Raph repeated.

"Stuff she picked from the forest." Mikey said, "Real pretty stuff, too."

"It's hard to believe that really happened," Donnie said, "It's hard to believe that Leo's really...gone."

"Yeah," Mikey said.

Raph sat down in the armchair and glanced at Leo. The look clearly said, _I have no idea what to say ta them. Get me outta this_.

"Practice?" Leo suggested.

"Um, guys," Raph said, "Let's go practice."

"We did that yesterday Raph, remember?" Mikey said.

"It's just not the same without Leo." Donnie pointed out.

"Ya know what? Fine." Raph said, getting up. "If you two wanna mope around all day, then fine by me. I'll be around if ya need me."

"Raph-" Donnie said.

"We didn't mean-" Mikey began.

"Raph." Leo's voice stopped him, "Don't leave them alone. Not yet. We can work on patching me up later. Please?"

"Alright, fine!" Raph snapped. He walked over to the television. "But we gotta have somethin' ta do. I'm _dying_ here."

He opened the DVD cabinet and grabbed a movie, then practically thrust it into the DVD player without really registering what it was.

"A movie? Really?" Donnie asked.

"Mikey. Get the popcorn." Raph commanded, sitting down again.

"Me? Why me?" Mikey whined.

"Just get it, will ya?" Raph yelled.

"Fine!" Mikey yelled back, and he left for the kitchen.

"Raph-" Donnie began, "I don't want to watch a movie."

"Can it," Raphael said, "We're getting this family back on track. So today it's quality family movie time, and tomorrow it's back to practice. Got that Don?"

"Got it." Donnie said.

"Popcorn, anyone?" Mikey said, jumping over the couch to land on the cushions.

"Mikey. That was _way_ too fast to actually make it." Donnie said.

"You have your secrets, I have mine." Mikey said, throwing some popcorn into his mouth and glancing at Raph.

"I can't believe you chose _this_ movie."

"Yeah, well it doesn't really matter what the movie is, alright?" Raph responded.

"Uh, Raph?" Mikey asked.

"What?" The red turtle said.

"We didn't say anything about the movie." Donnie said.

Oh no.

"That was me," Leo said to him sheepishly, "Sorry."

"You okay Raph?" Mikey asked.

"Peachy," Raph responded, clenching his hands. "Let's just watch the movie, alright?"

Donnie sighed and looked again at the tv. Mikey gave Raph a funny look before he turned his attention back to the show.

"Raph," Leo said, sitting next to Raph's chair as the others watched the movie, "Maybe we should plan our trip to Donnie's bloodbank."

Raphael gave him a clear _look._

"Don't worry, I'll do all the talking right now." Leo said. "Listen. You need to get Don out of the Lair for this to work. If he's anywhere _near_ his lab, he's too close. He keeps the bags in the back, so if he catches you in there it's all over. Got it?"

Raph nodded, almost imperceptively.

"Good," Leo said, "Now, here's-"

"That's it," Donnie said, startling Raph, "I'm out of here."

"Don!" Mikey said.

"I'm sorry guys, but I just can't sit here." Donnie said, getting off the couch.

"Donnie, ya can't walk away from us-" Raph said.

"Let him go, Raph." Leo sighed, "It's okay."

"Sorry Raph," Donnie said, "I need to do something to get my mind off things, but I _don't_ want to watch a movie and forget all about Leo entirely. I'm going to tinker with a few experiments if anyone needs me."

He walked around the couch and up the stairs. Within seconds, they all heard the _click_ as Donnie's lab door closed.

"Um, I guess I'd rather go do something else too," Mikey said, standing up. "Sorry, Raph."

"Fine." Raph said, jumping out of his chair and practically yanking the DVD out of the machine. "If that's how you want it."

"Raph," Leo said, "It's okay."

"No, it ain't okay." Raph said, turning to face Leo, "Our family is fallin' apart, Leo. What am I supposed ta _do_?"

Something moved behind him, and Raph and Leo quickly jumped into their fighting stances.

"Um, chill dude, it's just me." Mikey said, putting his hands up in the 'surrender' pose.

He was still standing by the couch. He _hadn't_ walked away yet. He was looking guilty.

And he was close enough to hear every word Raph had just said.

Shell.


	9. Chapter 9

_Here you go!  
_

CHAPTER NINE

"Mikey," Raph said, frowning at his brother, " _What_ are you still doin' here?"

"Look Raph, I know you know that I know." Mikey said, "But you _don't_ know that I knew _before_ you knew that I knew that you knew."

"I-what?" Raph asked.

"Oh Mikey," Leo said, slapping his forehead.

"About Leo," Mikey said, twiddling his hands together. "I know you talk to him. I've known for a while."

"What." Raphael said. It was not a question.

"I talked to Sensei about it," Mikey said, "It's a coping mechanism, right?"

"Mikey," Raph said warningly.

"Just hear me out!" Mikey said, "Look, you know how I needed to cry when Leo died? I think you need to let it out somehow too. But you don't want to. So you've got Leo. An imaginary one."

"Mikey, that's not-" Raph rubbed his forehead at his sudden headache, but Mikey didn't stop.

"But you don't _have_ to do this Raph," he said, "Just let it out."

"Oh trust me, I'm about to let _something_ out right now," Raph said, heading for his brother with both fists out.

"Raphael." Leo's word stopped him.

Raph took a deep breath. Then another. And a third.

"So." Raph said, trying to calm down and change the subject, "Sensei told ya about that?"

"I asked him," Mikey said, "You were freaking me out, dude, talking to thin air. Raphael, you need to say goodby to Leo. He's dead."

"Mikey," Raph said, pointing a finger at his younger brother, "It ain't what ya think."

"No," said Mikey, "It's not what _you_ think."

"Whatever," Raph said, heading for the stairs, "I'm going to my room. Coming, _Leo_?"

Leo sighed, but followed Raph anyway. "You didn't have to say my name just to bother Mikey. He's been through enough as it is."

"Look, I'm not in the mood for a lecture right now, bro." Raph said, ignoring the fact that Mikey was still within earshot.

It wasn't until they were inside Raph's room that Raph remembered Leo's body was still in his hammock.

"Great," he said, "Just great. I'm supposed ta spend the rest of my day sulking in _here_?"

"I'm not dead, Raph, we've established that." Leo said, rolling his eyes, "Maybe we can use the time to patch me up."

"Yeah," Raph said, picking up some of the medical supplies, "Of course, _I'm_ gonna be the one ta do all the work."

Leo crossed his arms and watched as Raph began to work.

"Now," Raph said, pulling out the bandages, "Where should we start?"

When Raph was finally done with the surface wounds, all that remained for them to do was the blood transplant.

"So. Ya think that once we replace yer poisoned blood with some of yer normal blood, you'll go back to normal?"

"It should work," Leo said thoughtfully _,_ "Unless the poison has affected more than just blood. But I think that if we can get my bloodstream back to normal, the rest of the poison will just flow out of my system naturally."

"Only one way ta find out, I guess," Raph said, "So how are we gonna get Don out of the lab?"

"It won't be easy," Leo said, "Like I told you before, we need to get him out of not just the lab, but the Lair if we want to pull this off. And we're going to need to make sure we do the transfusion right, so you're going to have to grab one of Donnie's medical books."

"Fine," Raph said, "Couple problems though. Donnie's in his lab right now, and I don't think he's gonna leave if I just asked him. And then there's Mikey-he's gonna be watching me real closely, bro."

"Hm," Leo said, "Wait! I have an idea. Send Don and Mikey to check up on April and Casey."

"Ya think they'll fall fer that?"

"Why not?" Leo asked.

"Alright," Raph nodded, "But how am I gonna explain why I'm not going with 'em?"

"I don't think you'll need to," Leo said, "They both just had an argument with you."

"How long d'ya think they'd be gone?" Raph said, "They might just peek in the windows."

"They'll be gone long enough," Leo said, "But we'd still better hurry."

"Right," Raph said, "I'll tell 'em right away."

"Good." Leo said.

Raph walked out of his room, closing the door behind him, and looked around. Everyone must have been in their rooms and the lab, because the entire Liar felt empty.

"Yo, Donnie! Mikey!" Raph bellowed, breaking the silence.

"What is it?" Mikey called back.

"What?" Donnie shouted.

"I need ya ta check up on April and Case," Raph said.

There was a chorus of moans from his younger brothers.

"We just left them, Raph!" Mikey said, stepping out of his room to look at Raph.

"Besides," Donnie said, poking his head out of lab door, "Can't we just call them?"

"No," Raph said, pointing a sai at Don for emphasis, "Yer gonna check up on 'em in person."

"Why?" Mikey asked.

"'Cause with Leo gone I'm the leader, that's why!" Raph said, "So ya gotta do as I say!"

Donnie and Mikey both groaned.

"Your brother is right, my sons."

"Master Splinter!" Mikey said. They were all a little surprised that Splinter would walk out of his room so soon after they had come home.

"Raphael _is_ the leader," Splinter argued, "And I expect you to show him the same respect you showed for Leonardo."

"But Master, he wants us to leave the Lair." Donnie said.

"I heard," Splinter said, rubbing his ears. "And judging by your previous conflict, perhaps that is just what you need. Listen to your brother, my sons."

" _Thank you,_ Master Splinter." Leo said.

"Besides," Splinter continued, "April and Casey are our friends. They miss Leonardo as much as we do. Would you abandon them in their time of need?"

"No Sensei," Donnie sighed.

"Yeah, we're going, we're going." Mikey said, heading for the front door.

"Coming Raph?" Donnie asked, closing his lab door behind him.

"Nah," he said, "I'm stayin' here."

Mikey and Donnie exchanged glances, but walked wordlessly out of the Lair.

"See you when you get back, my sons." Splinter said, re-entering his room.

As soon as the front door and Splinter's door were closed, Raph cautiously walked over to Donnie's lab. Leo was right behind him.


	10. Chapter 10

_WOW, the amount of reviews after that last chapter was staggering! Thank you all, it really made my day! And thanks also for all the follows and favs. Anyway, here you go..._

CHAPTER TEN

"We have to be careful," Leo said as Raph opened the lab door and turned on the lights. "We've already messed around in here earlier, but now that Donnie's back he's going to notice if we move anything around. And we also have to be quiet, or else we'll attract Master Splinter's attention."

"Right," Raph whispered, "What do we get first?"

"You get the blood." Leo whispered back, "I'm going to try to figure out which of Donnie's medical books can tell us how to do the transfusion safely."

"Yer gonna find the book without bein' able ta touch any of 'em?" Raph asked.

"Just get the blood, Raph."

Raphael rolled his eyes, but walked to the back of the lab. There was the small fridge where Donnie kept all of their blood for emergencies. It wasn't locked. After all, who was going to steal from Donnie's lab in the sewers?

"I'm in," Raph said as soon as he opened it. Give the turtle a prize, he got into the unlocked vault.

"It's _this_ book," Leo said, pointing at one of them. "It looks about right."

"What, like you've read his books before?" Raph asked, moving the blood bags around to try to find out whose was whose.

"Sometimes," Leo said.

Raph gave him an incredulous _look._

"It gives me something to talk about with him," Leo responded, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Um Raph, the blood?"

"Got it," Raph said, grabbing one of the blood bags.

"Better get more than one." Leo said.

"Yup." Raph said, grabbing four more bags.

"And don't forget the book," Leo said, pointing.

Raph huffed, grabbing the book off the shelf. "Anything else, your majesty?"

"Let's grab any tools we're going to need," Leo said, "Turn to page 482."

"What?" Raph asked, "Now you've got Don's books _memorized_?"

"Just do it Raph!" Leo snapped, "We don't have a whole lot of time here."

Raph growled, but even as he did so he turned to the page.

"Hm," Leo said, reading over his shoulder and pointing to one of the instruments on the page. "I've seen that here. Don keeps it in the third drawer down on the left."

Raph rolled his eyes, but went over to the drawer without comment.

By the time they had gathered everything they needed and put it all in Raph's room, Mikey and Donnie were coming back through the front door.

"We just waved to them through the window," Raph overheard Mikey tell Splinter, "But April and Casey seemed happy to see us."

"Good," Leo said, standing next to Raph as the both of them stood outside Raph's door.

"Let's get going," Raph whispered to Leo, "Before anyone finds anythin' missing."

He entered his room closed the door behind him before walking over to Leo's body.

"Right," he said, "So how do we set this up?"

"According to this, it's not that hard with the tools we have." Leo said, reading from the open medical book on Raph's dresser.

"Okay then," Raph said, picking up one of the blood bags, "Do ya think we need ta wait fer these to warm up first, or-"

"Raph," Leo interrupted, pointing to the bag, "Look."

Confused, Raph turned the bag around to read the label.

 _Raphael_.

"Oh no," he said, picking up another bag off the dresser, "Shell. Shell, shell shell!"

Every single bag was labeled _Raphael._

"Raph," Leo said softly, sitting on the floor.

"It was under _your_ name, I swear!" Raph said, "There was a shelf fer each of us. I-I was getting yours, Leo! I _swear!_ I thought-"

"I know. It's okay Raph," Leo said softly, "We should have _both_ checked before we left the lab."

"We need ta get back there," Raph said, "We need ta-"

"Not today," Leo said, "There's no _way_ we can get Don out of there today. We'll have to try again tomorrow."

"Leo," Raph said, looking his brother in the eye, "I'm sorry."

"I know," Leo said, "It wasn't all your fault, Raph. It was mine too. We're not going to worry about it, alright? Look, so far my body's been waiting around just fine. It can wait a little longer. We'll try again tomorrow."

"But what if Don notices that stuff is missing from the lab?" Raph asked, "What if he locks it?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Leo said, "In the meantime, why don't we go make dinner?"

"Yeah, sure." Raph said. "Wait. You want _me_ ta make dinner? Fer everyone?"

"Why not?" Leo asked, smirking, "We want to pull the family together, don't we?"

"Well, yeah but-"

"Then dinner is the perfect way to do it." Leo said.

"You know you're weird, ya know that?" Raph asked, pointing a finger at his brother, "Ya get bad news an' all you can think of is other people."

"Hey, it's just one more day," Leo said, still smirking, "Now are we going to make that dinner or what?"

* * *

"Why can't we just use the leftovers?" Raph asked Leo, mixing a bunch of ingredients in a mixing bowl.

"You're the one who said you wanted to make a _breakfast_ dinner," Leo answered, leaning against the fridge, "And all our leftovers are _not_ breakfast material."

"Watcha doing?" Mikey asked, sticking his head in the kitchen.

"Makin' pancakes," Raph responded, "Wanna help?"

"Sure," Mikey said, "Why not?" But his voice lacked his Mikey-ness as he spoke.

"He's bothered by something." Leo said.

"No kidding," Raph said, "Mikey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Mikey said, sitting down in one of the kitchen chairs.

"Ya wanna make yerself useful?" Raph asked, "Take over here at the pancakes. I'm gonna start the tacos."

"Only _you_ can make a traditional breakfast dinner that includes tacos, Raphael." Leo rolled his eyes. Raph ignored him.

"Tacos for breakfast?" Mikey asked.

"Eh. I'm in the mood." Raph said, raiding the pantry. "So, Mikey. Ya never told me how April and Casey were when ya saw 'em."

"They were fine, I guess." Mikey said.

"So what'd you see that got you all upset?" Raph asked.

" _Nothing_." Mikey said harshly, mixing the batter harder than necessary.

"Mikey," Leo warned his brother, momentarily forgetting that he couldn't hear him.

"Whatever it was ain't nothing," Raph said, "I think you've mixed it enough, Mikey. Want me ta put the batter in the pans, or do you wanna do it?"

"I'll do it," Mikey said, taking the bowl to the counter next to the stovetop.

"So what's wrong?" Raph asked.

"It's just that...they were laughing." Mikey said.

"Oh." Leo said.

"What's wrong with that?" Raph asked, confused.

"They were happy," Mikey said, looking at Raph with tears in his eyes. "How could they be happy, Raphie? Leo only just died..."

"Shut up," Raph said, grabbing Mikey's head and putting it up against his shoulder in a weird kind of half-hug, "They're still sad, ya know. They love Leo, and nothing's gonna change that."

"But they were _laughing_ ," Mikey said.

"Let 'em," Raph said, "They probably cried their eyes out earlier, ya know. Laughing is good for them."

"Oh. Okay." Mikey said.

"Nice, Raph." Leo complimented.

And with those words, Raph remembered that he wasn't alone with Mikey.

"Now get those pancakes going," he said, pushing Mikey away, "I gotta get the tacos started."

When it was finally time for dinner, Mikey dragged Donnie from his lab and Master Splinter surprised them all by coming out of his room to eat with them.

"It certainly appears to be an...interesting dinner," Splinter said, looking at the food on the table. There were pancakes, eggs, tacos, rice balls, bacon and cereal. "Which of you made the rice balls?"

"Raph," Mikey said, his mouth already full of pancake, "He thought you'd like it."

Actually it was Leo's idea, but Raph wasn't going to say that. Leonardo's face was beaming though, from where he was leaning against the wall near Raph's chair.

"Thank you Raphael," Splinter said, taking some of the rice balls.

"Welcome, Sensei."

"So," Donnie said, reaching for the eggs, "Mikey thought of the breakfast dinner?"

"Nah. That was Raph's idea too." Mikey said. Donnie looked a little surprised.

"Yer welcome," Raph said grumpily, his mouth filled with taco.

Everyone was silent as they ate, going through their own individual thoughts.

"So Donnie," Mikey said, turning to his purple masked brother, "Everything alright? You've been spacing out all dinner, bro."

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Everything's fine, I guess."

"He's hiding something." Leo told Raph.

Apparently Master Splinter noticed the same thing.

"What is the matter, my son?" Splinter asked.

"Nothing," Donnie said, "It's just that...I've been misplacing things lately. In the lab."

Raph and Leo exchanged glances.

"I did a complete inventory today after we got back from Casey and April's," Donnie continued, "And I'm missing some things. Most importantly, I'm missing 5 bags of Raph's blood."

"What?" Mikey asked, accidentally scratching his fork on his plate in surprise. The harsh sound made Raph, Donnie and Splinter cringe.

"Donatello," Splinter said, rubbing his ears, "Are you certain they are not simply misplaced?"

"No, they're completely gone." Donnie said, rubbing his eyes, "Unless I used them and forgot to log it in my books. And I could have, I was kind of out of it for a while. But it's okay, Sensei. I can get more blood from Raph anytime."

"Hm," said Splinter, thoughtfully rubbing his chin.

"And anyway," said Donnie, "There's still Leo's blood."

"What _about_ Leo's blood?" Raph asked.

"Yeah Don," Mikey said, "Why are you still keeping _Leo's_ blood?"

"Don't worry guys, it's just that-well, I can use it if there's an emergency." Donnie said, "I've done it before when I've been low on blood with one of you."

"Wait a minute," Leo said, straightening up off the wall, "Raph, does he mean-"

"After all, Raph and Leo-well, you two shared the same blood type." Donnie finished.


	11. Chapter 11

_Thank you all for the positive feedback!  
_

CHAPTER ELEVEN

"Raph," Leo said, turning to his brother with joy in his eyes, "We're compatible, and we already have your blood. We can do the transfusion after all!"

"Um, will you guys excuse me fer a sec?" Raph asked, getting up from the table. Master Splinter, Donnie and Mikey looked confused as he headed upstairs.

"Raph, no!" Leo said, running after him, "We can't do it _now_. We have to wait until later."

"Why?" Raph whispered, stopping in mid-step.

"We don't want anyone to get suspicious," Leo said, "You just ran off during dinner, Raph. What if someone comes to your room to ask why?"

Raph growled, but sighed. "Fine." He said, turning to head back downstairs.

"What was _that_ all about?" Donnie asked as Raph sat back down.

"Nothin'," Raph said, grabbing another taco, "So who wants dessert?"

"What's for dessert?" Mikey asked, getting excited.

"Leftovers," Raph said, pointing his thumb in the general direction of the fridge, "Ya made too much dessert the other day, Mikey. We've got enough ta last a lifetime."

* * *

It was Donnie who suggested a movie after dinner. Leo told Raph it was probably because he was feeling guilty for arguing earlier, but Raph privately thought it was because Don didn't want to be in his lab since some of his stuff was missing. Raph felt a little guilty about that, but he wasn't going to apologize just yet. After all, Donnie still had no idea that he took the stuff. And if he valued his life he wasn't going to tell Donnie anything about that just yet.

Splinter excused himself as soon as dinner was finished, so that left Mikey, Donnie, Raph and Leo alone to watch the movie. Raph didn't even want to watch it, he wanted to get Leo patched up, but Leo wanted him to spend some time with his brothers. They had a big argument about it in the kitchen, when they assumed no one was around to hear them. In the end, Raph compromised and just left the movie halfway through.

He went to his room and set up the tools. After a lengthy argument with Leo over certain parts of the procedure and how it was outlined in the textbook, they finally agreed with each other and began the transfusion. They had two procedures set up: one to put the good blood in, and another to take the bad blood out.

"Think it'll work?" Raph said, watching the blood move from one of his blood bags into Leo's arm.

"It better." Leo said.

It was slow going, but Raph wasn't about to leave. One by one his blood bags were hooked up to Leo, and one by one they were slowly emptied.

"Last one," Raph said, hooking it up.

Slowly, bit by bit, the blood left the bag.

"What if it doesn't work?" Raph asked.

"Then we'll get some more blood from Don's lab." Leo said.

They both waited silently for a while. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Raph? You in there?" Mikey asked from outside.

Leo and Raph looked at each other.

Shell.

" _Don't_ let him in." Leo stressed. Raph nodded in agreement.

"Comin' Mikey," Raph said, blocking the view of Leo on his bed as he opened the door. "What's up?" He stepped out quickly and closed the door behind him.

"Movie's over," Mikey said, "And I was wondering if you'd like to play a board game with me."

"He's reaching out to you." Leo said.

Raph looked at Leo with surprise. Hadn't he left him back in the bedroom?

Apparently Leo could reach his thoughts now. "I walked through the door, genius." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Raph?"

"Sure thing Mikey," Raph said, turning his attention back to his younger brother. "Just give me a sec, okay?"

"Okay." Mikey said, starting to smile, "What game?"

"I dunno. Pick whatever you want." Raph said.

"Great!" Mikey said, bouncing off. "I'll be in my room when you're ready!"

"Can't wait," Raph said, watching him go. "Okay Leo, let's finish this."

The last blood bag was empty when he got to Leo's body, so Raph unhooked everything.

"I'm bleeding," Leo noticed, pointing to the small entrypoint they used to deliver the blood into his veins. "That's a good sign. It means my blood is flowing faster than it was before."

"Yeah," said Raph, bandaging his brother and putting everything away. "When we get back from playing with Mikey, we'll see if it worked or if the poison's still there."

Carefully making sure that all the stuff from Donnie's lab was placed neatly on the dresser, bed and floor, Raph turned off the lights and left the room. He closed the door tightly behind him.

"You should ask Donnie to join you with Mikey." Leo suggested even as Raph started walking down the hallway.

"What, didn't Mikey already ask him?" Raph asked, turning around to face his brother.

"You should invite him anyway." Leo said.

Raph sighed, but he listened to Leo. "Yo, Don!" He called out.

"You don't have to yell, you know." Donnie said, peering out of his bedroom door.

Huh. Raph thought he'd still be in the lab right about now.

"Wanna join me an' Mikey? We're gonna play board games in Mikey's room." Raph pointed.

"He already asked me." Don said.

"Ask him again." Leo suggested.

"Wanna come anyway?" Raph said.

"Fine." Donnie said, stepping out of his room, "What are we playing?"

"Let's find out," Raph said, walking past Donnie in the direction of Mikey's room. "Yo Mikey! Ready to play some board games?"

"Mind if I join in?" Donnie said sheepishly, stepping into the room.

"Mind? No way!" Mikey said, brushing aside some two-player game that was on the floor and reaching for something else that was in his closet, "But I get to be red."

"Excuse me?" Raph asked, "I _always_ get to be red. See da mask?"

"Yeah, but there's no orange and it's my game." Mikey said, smiling cheekily, "Deal with it, Raphie boy."

Raph rolled his eyes, but sat down on the floor and waited patiently as Mikey set up the game.

"I get purple," Donnie said, picking up his token.

"Guess I'm either blue, black, white or green." Raph said, pointing to the remaining tokens. "I'll be black."

"Good choice." Donnie said.

"Wish I could play." Leo commented, sitting just behind Raph.

"Youngest goes first!" Mikey claimed, rolling the dice, "Twelve, yes! Alright, I go... _here_. Your turn, Donnie!"

"Um, Raph? A little help here?" Leo asked as Donnie rolled.

Raph turned around and raised an eye at his brother. He wasn't going to outright _ask_ him what he wanted, not with his brothers there.

"I'm not feeling too good." Leo said, swaying a little where he sat.

"Your turn, Raph!" Mikey prodded.

"What? Oh, yeah. Um, here." He rolled a three and moved his token. "Listen, I gotta go check something. I'll be back in a sec."

"But we just started!" Mikey said.

"It's alright Mikey," Donnie said, "He'll be back soon. Hey Raph, while you're up can you check the lock on the lab?"

"What?" He asked.

"I locked the lab tonight," Donnie said, "I think I might've been taking things out in my sleep. Just check it for me, will you?"

"Yeah, sure." Raph said.

He walked casually out the door.

"Raph," Leo said, following him slowly, "It's my body."

Donnie's lab would have to wait. As soon as he was out of Mikey's room Raph raced to his own. Leo's body was covered in sweat.

"That is _not_ good," Raph said, placing his hand on the body's forehead. "Geez, you're burning up bro!"

"A fever." Leo said, "Yeah, it feels about right."

"Shell, what're we gonna do?" Raph asked.

"Grab a wet towel." Leo said.

"On it," Raph replied.

"And check the lock on Donnie's lab," Leo said, "I have an idea what the problem might be, but we're going to need to get in his lab. I hope he forgot to lock it."

"I'm already there," Raph said, sprinting out of the room. He raced downstairs, taking a quick detour to test Donnie's lab door.

It _was_ locked.

"Shell," he whispered, then raced to the kitchen. One wet towel later, and he was back in his own room, placing the towel on Leo's forehead.

"You're going to have to get back to the game," Leo said, looking pale, "They'll get suspicious."

"Not when you're sick." Raph said.

"Then go tell them you'll be a little longer," Leo said, "We don't want them coming in here and seeing me just yet."

"But Leo, can't Don help?"

"Not yet," Leo said, shaking his head, "We can handle this if we move fast enough. Go back to Mikey's room. I'll tell you what to do when you get back."

"Right," Raph nodded.

He raced towards Mikey's room, and stuck his head in.

"Hey listen," he said, "I forgot somethin' important I need ta do. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"You're not leaving the Lair, are you Raph?" Donnie asked.

"Don't worry Don, I'll be back," Raph said, "Trust me, it's important."

"But Raph-" Mikey said.

"It's an _emergency_ ," Raph countered.

"It's okay, Raph. We understand." Donnie said, in a voice that meant they didn't understand at all.

"Thanks," Raph said, "I gotta go. Oh, almost fergot. Yer lab's locked, Don."

Ignoring Donnie's thank you, Raph quickly left Mikey's room. But Mikey's voice stopped him in the hallway.

"I'm worried about Raph," Mikey said, obviously thinking that he was already out of earshot, "I don't think he knows that Leo's really dead."

"He knows, Mikey." Donnie said, "He took care of his body for me."

"But," Mikey said, "He's been _talking_ to him. Splinter says it's natural and he'll get over it, but Don, it's _creepy_. He thinks Leo's really there, and it's _weird_."

"Mikey," Don interrupted, "Trust me, he knows Leo's dead. But you see, it's _got_ to be really hard on him. He's the leader now, and he's got to keep up from falling apart. He's been doing most of the work for us. That first day? I couldn't even look at Leo. I had to ask Raph to do it for me."

"But-"

"Mikey, listen to me. I don't think Raph's had time to cry. This imaginary Leo is just his way of coping with his dead, _and_ a way of trying to think the way Leo does. Don't argue about it with him, that'll just make things worse."

Raph didn't wait around to hear any more. He turned and silently walked back into his room.

"Any change?" He asked Leo.

"No." Leo answered, "The fever feels just as bad, and it might be getting worse. Raph, I have an idea. I think it's the poison, and it's attacking the new blood. I think we might need more blood to flush this completely out of my body."

"What, already?" Raph asked, "Weren't we gonna wait until tomorrow?"

"I don't think we can wait anymore," Leo said, "All this blood will just get overrun with the poison, like your blood sample did earlier under the microscope. I need fresh blood to replace the tainted blood and fight this off."

"But we can't get into Donnie's lab right now," Raph said, "He locked the door. We're gonna have ta wait until tomorrow."

"Shell," Leo said.

"So, what _else_ can we do?" Raph asked.

"Well," Leo said softly, "We've been using your blood for the transfusion..."

Raphael looked at his older brother and understood.

"Yeah," he said, "You're right, we have. And I'm got enough ta spare."

He started setting up Leo's body for another blood transfer, and tied a bandage tightly around his own upper arm.


	12. Chapter 12

_Getting close to the end, folks! Only one more chapter to go after this one. Well, maybe two more chapters if the epilogue is separate. I guess we'll have to wait and see :)  
_

CHAPTER TWELVE

"That's enough, Raph." Leo said.

"Not yet," Raphael said, looking up at his brother.

"You've _already_ given more than enough blood," Leo said, "You need to keep some for yourself."

"Just a little longer..." Raph said, looking at Leo's body.

"Raph. It's alright. The fever hasn't got any worse. You can give me more later." Leo argued.

"Fine," Raph said, stopping the blood flow. "Whoa."

"Dizzy?" Leo asked, "I told you it was too much."

"Shut up," Raph said, undoing the connection between them.

"Just make sure you get something to eat," Leo said.

"Fine." Raph said.

He checked the temperature of Leo's body, and turned over the wet towel on his forehead. Then, with Leo following him and telling over and over again that he needed to eat and keep up his strength, Raph went downstairs to the kitchen.

Mikey was there, eating ice cream.

"Hey," Raph said, grabbing some water and milk from the fridge and cereal from the pantry. "Sorry 'bout earlier. There really _was_ an emergency."

"It's ok," Mikey said, "We're all kind of running away from each other, aren't we? Donnie and I ran away from the movie you wanted to watch, and then you ran away from our game."

"Yeah, well I'll make it up ta ya." Raph said, sitting down and pouring his cereal into a bowl.

"What happened to your arm?" Mikey asked, pointing to the bandage.

"Nothing." Raph said, turning to his food.

"Raph," Donnie said, stepping into the kitchen. Where had he come from? "We need to talk about replacing your emergency blood supply-whoa, are you hurt? You look awful."

"I'm fine," Raph said, taking a large swig of his water, "I heard you and Mikey talkin' earlier. So, you all think I'm crazy now, right?"

"Raph, you shouldn't have brought that up." Leo reprimanded.

"Shut up," Raph responded, "Look guys, I ain't crazy, alright?"

"Of course not." Donnie said, far too quickly.

"Raph," Mikey said, "You know you can always come to us if you need help, right?"

"Mikey!" Donnie said.

"I'm just saying," Mikey said, throwing up his hands, "Raph, there's nothing wrong with crying."

"I know that," he said, "But I ain't about to cry, Mikey."

They sat there silently for a while as they ate. Donnie wasn't eating though. He was just sitting there with them, eying the bandage on Raph's upper arm.

"Well, I'm off to bed." Mikey said, getting up and putting his bowl in the sink. "Maybe we can do the whole board game thing tomorrow."

"Sure, why not." Raph said.

"Goodnight Mikey." Donnie said as the turtle left the room.

Raph continued eating, and Leo sat down on the floor.

"Raphael," Donnie said, "I need to talk to you."

Uh oh.

That was Donnie's serious medical voice.

"What is it?" Raph asked suspiciously.

"That." Donnie said, pointing to Raph's arm.

"It's nothing," Raph said.

"Drugs aren't nothing, Raph."

"Oh no," Leo said, "Donnie, you've got it all wrong."

"It ain't drugs, Donatello." Raph said.

"It isn't, huh?" Donnie narrowed his eyes, "Is that why some of the supplies in my lab are missing?"

"Don," Raph looked him in the eye, "I don't do drugs. That's stupid."

"So I suppose if I were to look in your room right now, I wouldn't find some of my missing supplies?" Donnie asked.

Raph looked at him sharply.

There was no _way_ Donnie was going into his room.

"You ain't going in my room," he said pointedly, "And I ain't takin' drugs."

"Besides," Leo suggested, "Couldn't you tell if he was on something, Don?"

"That's right," Raph agreed, "Don, shine a flashlight in my eyes and give me a test or somethin'. I'm not doing drugs."

Donnie got up close, into Raph's face. The turtle tried to back away at the close contact, but Don pulled him closer. He checked his eyes, his mouth-"You're not on drugs," he announced.

"Told ya." Raph said, going back to eating his cereal.

"Now," Donnie said, "Tell me what _really_ happened with your arm."

"Nothing." Raph said, and he continued eating.

Donnie sighed. "Raph," he said, "I know it's hard for you. It's hard for _all_ of us."

"You got _that_ right." Raph said.

"But I'm looking out for you, Raph. If you go out hurting yourself, I want to know why."

"Right." Raph said.

"Just...just trust me Raph," Donnie said, looking a little lost as he said it, "Let me help you where I can, alright?"

"I'll keep that in mind," Raph said, finishing the last of his meal.

"Alright." Donnie said, getting up, "I guess that's better than nothing."

Both Raph and Leo didn't want to meet his eyes as Donnie left the room.

* * *

Raph wasn't going to sleep a wink that night. Leo's body was _really_ burning up now. Leo wouldn't let Raph donate any more blood, and since they couldn't argue about it without attracting attention he figured he was going to be stuck sitting up all night trying to keep the fever down.

"Raph, I think...I think it might be working." Leo told him as he replaced the wet towel on Leo's forehead, "It's not as bad as before."

"So," Raph said, "When do ya think you should go back in? You know, in your body?"

"Raph," Leo said seriously, "I don't know if I ever left it."

"Come again?" Raph said, looking up at his brother.

"I've been...I've been feeling everything around me," Leo said, "And I didn't tell you this, but I've been _hearing_ everything around my body. Even when I was in the other room with you."

"That don't make any sense," Raph said, "How come you're here with me if you're over there?"

"I don't know," Leo sighed, "Ask Splinter. But Raph I-I really want to rest."

"What?"

"I just need to rest, Raphie." Leo said softly, "Just for a little while. You'll be alright for a little while."

"Leo, don't give up on me-"

"I won't," Leo said, "Just a little rest Raphie. My body's fighting...I'm fighting. I won't leave you, Raphael."

And suddenly, just like that, Leo was gone.

"Leo!" Raph said.

Suddenly he realized. Leo's body...Leo's body was breathing. They had known he was breathing, but before now they couldn't hear it. Now he was breathing loudly, painfully.

"Leo!" Raph said, grabbing onto his brother's hand, "Leo, talk to me!"

The breathing stopped.

"Leo? No! Leo!" Raph said.

"I'm here," Leo said, and Raph turned around to find him right where he had been standing before.

"Leo, what just-"

"I've been doing it Raph, I just don't know how." Leo said, "Maybe some of it _was_ my ninja skills after all. Raph, it hurts to breathe. Can you put the ventilator on?"

"Right, okay," Raph said, clumsily taking the ventilator and putting it on his brother.

"So," he said, turning back to Leo, "You didn't just..."

"Die? No," Leo said, "I'm not sure how I'm doing this. But Raph, I need to stop for a while. I need to turn my attention back to my body..."

"Right," Raph said, looking back at Leo's body, which was just as still and silent as it had been before.

"You'll see me again in the morning," Leo said, smiling at Raph, "I promise."

Raph was still for a moment, then he nodded. Leo disappeared, the body began breathing heavily again-and there was a knock on the door.

"Raph? You alright in there?"

"I'm fine, Mikey." Raph answered, grabbing Leo's hand and feeling Leo's forehead.

"I heard shouting. Was it a nightmare?" Mikey asked. He knew better than to enter the door without Raph's permission. At least, Raph hoped he did.

"Everything's fine," Raph said, watching Leo breathe painfully, "Go back ta sleep, Mikey."

"Are you sure? I mean, we could talk about it. I've had some bad dreams too."

"Nah. I'm fine."

"Well, we could watch a movie together. We're both up anyway." Mikey offered.

Raph looked at the closed door, and then at the brother lying on his bed.

"Nah, I'm good here." He said.

There was no way he was going to leave Leo alone tonight.

"Alright. If you're sure," Mikey said softly, "But if you change your mind, I'll be waiting."

"Got it," Raph said, and he listened as Mikey walked away.

Then he continued his vigil by his sick brother's side.

* * *

The next morning, Raphael knocked on Master Splinter's door. True to his word, Leo was right behind him.

"Um, Sensei?" Raph began, "Can I come in?"

"What is it, Raphael?" Splinter asked as Raph walked inside.

"It's Leo, Masta Splinter," Raph said, "Listen, this might sound strange, but didya feel him last night or anything?"

"Why do you ask?" Splinter said, looking at Raph sharply.

"Oh good, you _did_ feel him," Raph said, "Listen Sensei, it's a long story but the short of it is...well, Leo's not dead."

"Raphael," Splinter said, standing up.

"I know you all think I'm crazy," Raph said, "But Leo's getting better now, so we thought I should tell ya."

"My son," Splinter said, touching Raph's shoulder, "We already discussed this. Leonardo is-"

"MASTER SPLINTER!"

"Donnie?" Raph said, turning to look as Donatello scrambled down the stairs to Splinter's room.

"MASTER SPLINTER! I'VE KILLED HIM!"

"What?" Splinter asked.

"Killed who?" Raph asked.

"LEO!" Donnie shouted as he reached Splinter, "I'VE KILLED LEO!"

"Whoa, what's going on?" Mikey asked, running out of his room to join them all downstairs.

"Please forgive me Sensei, I made-it was a terrible mistake," Donnie said, shivering as he grabbed onto Splinter's legs, "I'm so _sorry_! I didn't mean to!"

"You didn't kill me, Don." Leo said.

"My son," Splinter said, "You did not kill your brother."

"I _did_!" Donnie said, looking up at Splinter with tears in his eyes.

"How?" Mikey asked, "He was killed by that flying sword."

"No, he wasn't!" Donnie insisted, "The sword-I didn't tell you this, but there was poison on it! And I thought it killed him, but I just looked at some samples I put under the microscope-I must have left them there before we left for the farmhouse-and, well, it wasn't lethal."

"What?" Splinter asked.

"It was... _faking_ death," Donnie said, "And I _fell_ for it! And then...Master Splinter, we buried him...I-I killed our brother. I killed your son."

And he broke down sobbing.


	13. Chapter 13

_That's it, I'm impatient. I know I already posted today, but I'm posting again._

 _This is the second-to-last chapter. Be on the lookout for the epilogue!  
_

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The look on Master Splinter's face was absolutely horrifying. It wasn't entirely clear what he was horrified about: the thought of Leonardo being buried alive, Donatello's claim that he was the one who caused Leo to be buried alive, or Donatello bursting into tears. Whatever their Sensei was thinking, he clenched onto poor Donnie as tightly as if action alone could convince the turtle that it wasn't his fault.

Donatello, for his part, would not stop crying into Splinter's robe.

"Donnie," Mikey said, softly coming up behind his brother, almost as if he was afraid Donatello would grab onto _him_ and start crying on _him_ , "It's alright, Don. It-it wasn't your fault. Leo would understand, bro."

"Ya didn't kill Leo." Raph spoke up calmly.

"Yes I DID!" Donnie shouted, turning to Raph ferociously, "Raph, we all know that you're in denial. But you _do_ know that Leo is dead, because we buried him. And now we all know that _I'm_ the one who killed him."

"But you _didn't._ " Leo said firmly, although he knew Donnie couldn't hear him.

"It wasn't your fault," Mikey said, kneeling down to be at eye level with Donnie, "That Foot guy threw the sword. _He's_ the one who did it, not you."

"But I...when I think about what I did..." Donnie buried his face in Sensei's robe. Splinter silently and soothingly rubbed his head.

"But it's not your fault _._ " Leo said.

"My son," Splinter said, his voice full of sorrow, "It was a trick of the enemy. There is no blame on you for your brother's death."

"Guys, you should know that Leo ain't dead." Raph said.

"Knock it off, Raphie!" Don said, looking up to glare at him again.

"No, listen. I was just here ta talk to Splinter about what happened last night. _Leo ain't dead_." Raph exclaimed.

"They're not going to believe you," Leo said.

"Oh and what do ya want me ta do, send 'em up upstairs and _show_ them?" Raph snapped at Leo, taking the others by surprise, "Guys, I've been tryin' ta _tell_ ya. Leonardo isn't dead."

"Raphael," Splinter said sternly, "That is enough."

"Don't stop, Raphael." Leo encouraged.

At those words, Raph reacted. Maybe it was because Donnie was kneeling against Splinter's legs, thinking he killed Leo. Maybe it was that Mikey was trying and failing to comfort Donnie, and maybe it was the tears that were in the corners of Master Splinter's eyes. Maybe it was Leo, who for once in his life was telling Raph to go against Splinter. It might have been all those things rolled into one. But whatever the reason, Raph reacted.

There was only one way he figured he could get his point across. Well, there was probably more than one way, but he acted on the first plan that came to mind.

With a snarl, he reached out and grabbed Donnie, yanking him off the ground and away from Master Splinter.

There was a cry of surprise from Don, a cry from Mikey and some sort of gasp from Splinter, but Raph didn't let any of that stop him. He ran, carrying his brother up the stairs under an armpit. Leo followed close behind him.

"Raphael!" Master Splinter cried out after him, "What has gotten into you?"

Raph didn't answer, but he _did_ reach his room. He flung the door open and tossed a very surprised Donnie inside, then closed the door behind him. That left Donnie inside the room and Raph outside to block the door.

"Raphael! Let me out!" Donnie called out, banging against the door.

"Leo is alive, Donnie!" Raph called out, keeping the door closed with sheer strength, "Ya didn't kill him!"

"Raph! What are you doing?" Mikey asked, finally arriving at the door.

He reached for the doorknob, but Raph slapped his hand away. Donnie started kicking at the door from the other side.

"Let your brother out this instant, Raphael!" Splinter told him, on his way up the stairs.

"Not yet," Raph shook his head, "Turn on the lights, Donnie. You'll see better."

The pounding stopped briefly as Donnie found the light switch and turned on the lights, and then it resumed.

"Raph," Mikey said, "You're scaring me, bro. Just let Donnie out, and we'll-we'll talk this over, alright?"

"Get inside, Leo." Raph told Leo, confusing Mikey, "We don't need ya out here anymore."

"Right." Leo said, choosing to walk through Raph and the closed door instead of outright disappearing like he had done the night before.

Raph shivered as Leo walking through, even though he _still_ didn't feel anything. But that didn't stop him from blocking Mikey's next attempt to open the door.

"Ow!" Mikey said, cradling his slapped hand, "That hurt!"

"Sorry," Raph mumbled.

"Raphael." Splinter said, finally at the top of the stairs and making his way towards Raph, "If you do not let your brother out, we will be forced to attack and restrain you."

"Somebody _please_ get me out of here!" Donnie shouted.

But Raph stood his ground. "Just turn around Donnie," he called out, "Do it quick!"

"What the shell do you mean by-Oh. _Shell_. SHELL, SHELL SHELL! RAPHAEL! What did you _DO!_ "

"HE. AIN'T. DEAD!" Raph called out, before abandoning the door and throwing himself flat on the ground, "You _KNOW_ that, Donnie!"

Instantly Mikey sat on his shell, and Splinter pinned him down. But Raph didn't move to stop them. He knew that at this point, he didn't need to.

"It is alright Donatello," Master Splinter called out, "We have him restrained. You can come out now."

"You can let Raph go," Donnie responded calmly from inside the bedroom, "He's not crazy."

"What? He practically locked you in his room! His _own_ room! Wait. His own room? Who _does_ that, anyway?" Mikey asked.

"Um, I think you guys need to come see this..." Donnie said.

Master Splinter picked up his nose and seemed to sense something in the air.

"No," he said, "It's not possible..."

With a single bound, he left Raphael and opened the bedroom door.

"Sensei!" Mikey said, immediately putting pressure on Raph to keep him pinned in place. He didn't really need to, Raph was already keeping himself as still as possible, but Mikey wasn't about to take any chances.

Then he caught sight of what was inside the room.

"Wait," Mikey said, "Is that-?"

"It is," Donnie said, tears streaming down his face as he held onto Leo's hand, "And he _is_ alive. He's got the fever to prove it."

"Wait, what? How-?" Mikey asked, turning to look at Raph.

"Told you." Raph smirked.


	14. Epilogue

_Well, here it is: the epilogue! This should tie up the loose ends of the story._ _I know I should be upset that it's over, but it was a lot of fun._ _Thanks for all the favs, follows and reviews! Really, I mean it._ _I hope you all had as much fun reading this as I did writing!_

EPILOGUE

"So, what happened?" Raph asked Splinter, "How was Leo able ta talk to me like that?"

"I am unsure, Raphael," Splinter said, hardly moving from his spot next to Leo's bed-his real bed, not Raph's hammock. "But I think," the rat continued, "I think that perhaps it was because of the deep meditations your brother has been practicing, combined with his strong desire to protect his family. And I believe that, perhaps, only _you_ could see and speak with him because he trusts you."

"Well yeah, but he trusts you guys too." Raph pointed out.

"My son," Splinter shook his head, "Leonardo would have been expending a tremendous amount of energy, even while battered and broken. He could only have gone to one person. He subconsciously chose you, Raphael, because deep down he knew that you could help him."

"Me?" Raph asked, "Why me? You guys also woulda helped him out."

"Of course we would, and Leonardo knows this. However, it is clear that you are the pillar of strength in this house, Raphael." Splinter said, "When we thought that all was lost, you kept us going."

"But that's because I had Leo's help," Raph said, gesturing to the prone figure on the bed.

"What I mean, my son, is that perhaps he went to you because he knew you could bring this family back together." Splinter said, "And judging by your many sacrifices, I believe you have succeeded."

"We _both_ succeeded, Master Splinter," Raph corrected.

"Indeed you have. And now that Leonardo is no longer using all of his energy to watch over his family," Splinter said, turning to face Leo, "He can begin his own healing."

"So, he's going ta be alright?" Raph asked.

"I believe so. Donatello is currently working on a way to purge the poisonous concoction entirely from his body," Splinter said, taking hold of Leo's hand, "When that is finished it should take care of this fever. Then he will need to rest. As you know, Michelangelo is preparing a list of ingredients for meals to help him on the road to recovery."

As if he heard his name, or perhaps because he did, Mikey popped his head into the room.

"Here's the list Master Splinter," Mikey said, running into the room, "Have any idea what else I should put on there?"

"It looks good to me, my son," Splinter said, looking over the list with a quick but experienced eye, "Perhaps we can ask April if she would not mind getting these for us."

"April? April! Oh, and Casey too!" Mikey said quickly, "Sensei, what are we gonna tell them about all _this_?" He gestured to Leo.

"Leave that to me, Michelangelo." Splinter said, "I will call them in a moment. And perhaps I shall also invite them to dinner."

"Right. Well, I think I'm going to save them the trouble and get the stuff on this list myself. A good run sounds really nice right about now," Mikey said, disappearing into the hall almost before he was done speaking.

Unlike the past few days he wasn't very quiet though; there were a few bumps and at least three _wahoo!_ s as he went down the stairs. Within seconds the front door slammed shut, a sure signal that Mikey had left the Lair.

"Now Raphael," Splinter said, "You have done well, my son. Go and rest-"

He broke off in mid-sentence.

"Sensei?" Raph asked, instantly at his side.

"It is Leonardo," Sensei said, a few tears of joy in his eyes, "He is holding tightly to my hand. Raphael, please hand me a phone. I will call April and Casey from here."

* * *

 _Five days later_

"Hold this," Raph said, "And go ahead and drink it."

"Raph, I don't need _babying_ ," Leo said, but he took the tea anyway.

All three of his brothers were once again gathered around his bed. For at least the fifth time since he had woken up two days ago.

This was getting a little annoying.

He was almost starting to _miss_ being invisible. Almost.

"We don't mean to bother you, Leo." Donnie said, "It's just that, well...you're not dead."

"Actually, _I_ mean to bother you." Mikey said mischievously, "I'm gonna make all your favorite desserts for the next month, whether you like it or not! And Donnie's gonna help."

"Fine," Donatello rolled his eyes, but the effect was ruined by his smile.

"You might not be so happy to see me when you hear about the new practice schedule I have planned," Leo said mischievously, "You guys have gotten _notoriously_ out of shape."

"Can you blame 'em?" Raph asked.

"Hey, you didn't practice either," Leo said, pointing at his brother.

"Come on Leo, do we _have_ to?" Mikey asked, "Splinter says it's still too soon for you to be up."

"I don't mind practicing," Raph said, pulling out his sais, "As long as we get to give the Foot a little pay-back when we're done."

"Well, we _do_ need to retake New York," Donnie said, "The Foot _have_ been quite busy in our absence."

"And won't they be surprised when dear old Leo comes after them!" Mikey laughed.

"That all comes later," Leo said, "Practice first."

"That's our Leo," Raph said, punching him lightly in the shoulder, "It's good ta have you back, bro."

"Speaking of being back," Donnie said, "What are we going to do about that empty grave up at the farmhouse?"

"I've been thinking about that," Leo said, taking another sip of his tea, "I've decided to ask Casey and April if it's alright to keep it there."

"Come again?" Donnie asked.

"Why?" Mikey asked.

"Well," Leo said with a smirk, "As a reminder, I guess."

"Why would ya want ta remember _that_?" Raph asked.

"Because," Leo explained, "I want to always remember that no matter what happens, no matter _how_ hopeless the case may be, we always make it back out alive. And Raph," he turned to his red masked brother.

"Yeah?" Raph asked.

"Thank you."

"Anytime, bro."

THE END


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